A Twist of Fate
by Laitaine-Arnostale
Summary: After a devastating accident, a college girl mutates and begins to unlock her new life. An enemy with a legacy to fulfill makes his move, and the XMen find themselves in a whole new war. KurtOC.
1. What Went Wrong

A Twist of Fate 

            _Sometime in the near future… man evolves.  Mutates.  New beings with strange powers that the world fears – or envies? _

"Sami, you gotta see this!"

            Sami Teterann abandoned the meal she was preparing for her roommates and jogged into the dorm bedroom.  Jessi and Song Yi were staring at the television where a banner proclaimed "_Mutant Attacks White House_."

            "What the…" Sami dropped onto the bed in shock, staring at the TV. 

            "Just what it seems, hon," Jessi said around a mouthful of gum.  "Some mutant on a tour tried to kill McKenna.  He must be either hella fast or hella tough, 'cause he got away." 

            "The president wasn't hurt," Song Yi assured her.  "At least, that's what they're saying." 

                Jessi popped a bubble insolently.  "Like they'd say anything else.  Last thing this country needs is the world freakin' out about more mutants…'course, the politicians aren't helping, keep rattling on about the World Unity attack at Ellis Island, like they _want _the creepy teleporting flamethrowing assholes mad at them…" She blew another bubble and rolled her eyes.  "Dumb politicians.  Maybe they'll do something right for once and pass that Mutant Registration Act – maybe even lock 'em all up, that'd help."  

            Song Yi glared at her.  Her friend John, a member of that feared minority, had been the victim of a mob attack last year.  They'd killed him even though his skin had glowed too hot to touch.  Of course, the media said nothing.  First of all, it was just another mob killing – this was New York City, nothing unusual – and second of all, who would want to generate sympathy for mutants?  Song Yi was the only mutant supporter Sami knew of, and the complete opposite of Jessi, who would be perfectly happy killing some mutants herself.  Although she had been inseparable from John before they found out…

            Sami still didn't know what to think.  Certainly John had been nice enough, but others?  Maybe mutants were like the Muslims – most were simply people, but the few fundamentalists wanted to cause grief and pain.  But the mutants didn't have a religion for an excuse…they just attacked at will…

            The reporter droned on and Sami left to rescue their dinner.  _Attack at will_…and who would stop them?  Who could?

*******

            _Months later…_

Sami walked arm-in-arm with Andy as they headed back to the NYU campus dorms.  They had just finished an excellent dinner and had taken the bus back here.  She giggled at the story he was telling – they were both a little drunk – and Sami _felt_ something out-of-place.  Before she could comment, a speeding car whipped around the corner, heading towards them.

            They were almost across the street – it was one of those times when everything should have been fine except for one stupid mistake.

            In his stupor Andy tripped and fell in the street as they were jogging out of the way.  The car skidded to a stop – but not before throwing and about thirty feet through the air.  Sami shrieked, the rational part of her mind screaming for someone to call 911, while her hand unconsciously dug through her purse for her cell phone.  Another car approached, both occupants leaping out with cell phones in hand.  The driver of the murderous vehicle ran to Andy while Sami stood in the street, the grief-maddened part of her mind finally winning out over sanity.  

            _He's dead – he has to be – _

            An eternity later the ambulances arrived, throwing blue and red light over the body of her fiancé – blue blood, red blood, blue blood, red blood – 

            Sami screamed again – and one of the ambulances flew up in the air, then touched down gently.  The car keys of everyone gathered, as well as a few pebbles, flew toward her, then stopped, hovering at eye level.  The leaves in the street swarmed towards the hapless driver of the deadly car _– but there's no wind – what's happening – _

            "A mutant!  She's a mutant!" 

            Her scream stopped and everything dropped to the ground.  She felt a small pain in her shoulder, and looked down at three tiny darts.

            The darts were swallowed by blackness as she collapsed.


	2. A New Path

            Sami woke in the most frightening location she could imagine.  She was sitting upright and was strapped to the chair by chains across her chest, arms, wrists, thighs, and ankles.  Worst of all, a bizarre helmet clung to her head, and she knew exactly what it was for.

            _I am a mutant._

            She felt sick.  She was now one o the most feared and hated people on the planet, and she was already locked up.

            Maybe someone would bail her.  Her parents?  Her friends?  But what would they think of her?  Would Andy still love her?

            And before she could silence it – 

            _Andy's dead._  The voice that had been berating her about her cursed new abilities now reminded her of her love's death. _And you're a mutant now, you might have been able to save him – but no, you just sat and panicked – _

She hung her head, preparing for a long day of grieving, alone, in a dark cell – 

            The door opened and Sami looked up in surprise.  A policeman stood in the doorframe, silhouetted by the brighter light outside.  She could barely make out the form of a man in a wheelchair behind him. 

            "Miss, you have a visitor."

            Sami didn't respond – why should she?  The guard didn't seem too keen on conversation, anyway.  He quickly backed out of the cell and rolled the wheelchair in.  Sami didn't recognize the man sitting in it, but something in his blue eyes asked to be trusted.  He still looked youngish, early forties perhaps, but he was completely bald.  His brilliant eyes met hers – 

_            – just follow along – I will guide you - _

            He smiled sadly.  "Hello, Sami."

            "Hello, Uncle Charles," she heard herself respond.  "Why are you here?"

            "Your parents were unable to make the bail arrangements, so I have taken the liberty of paying for them."

            Some where beneath her confusion and grief she felt unexpectedly touched.  A complete stranger had freed her only hours after her arrest!

            "Thank you, Uncle."  Again, the words left her mouth without her command, but the elation in them was truly hers.

            "All you need to do is sign a couple papers and we'll be on our way," "Uncle Charles" told her.

            Sami was surprised again – after all, with Song Yi majoring in law she knew that getting out of jail this early was practically unheard of, and bordering on impossible if one was a mutant.  "It's that easy?"

            "Actually, they have no reason to be holding you.  You've committed no crime, those tranquilizer darts are considered police brutality, and as of yet there are no laws saying mutation is a crime."  He cast one resentful glance over his shoulder at the guard behind him.  "As it is, they shouldn't have charged bail all.  So, since you aren't needed here any longer, let's go take care of those papers."

            So Sami found herself signing papers under the supervision of the partly jumpy, partly sullen police guard, who had finally freed her of the hated bonds.  She followed Charles outside into the sun, still in a numb trance, and accompanied him to a dark blue Mazda that was sitting at the curb.  The young man standing next to it was of the handsome, clean-cut, all-American variety, with dark brown hair falling in front of red-tinted sunglasses.  _Cousin Scott_, that voice instructed.   

            "Hey, Sami.  Doing okay?" Scott asked, honoring her with a smile that probably put him at the top of several women's lists.  

            "Yeah, fine," Sami answered.  Why was it when someone was at their worst, they would always answer with the usual "fine?"

            Scott helped Charles into the car, then ushered Sami in as well.  As soon as the car passed the police checkpoint, the trance over Sami broke and her pent-up tears flooded free.

            "What's happening to me?  What do you want?"

            Charles didn't answer immediately.  "You know the answer to the first," he said quietly.  "For some reason your gifts emerged late, and I'm not sure all of them have manifested yet."

            "Gifts?" she spat in response.  "I'm a mutant! A freak!"

            "Do you really think that?" the man called Scott asked calmly.  "Do you think we're freaks?"  He turned in his seat to smile briefly at her.  "Granted, the glasses do look a little dumb, but other than that, we're people.  We're just a little different.  We still function the same – we eat, we drink, we care for people…we make choices…"

            He trailed off, but Sami had no difficulty recognizing the grief in his voice.  Charles patted his forearm, then looked in the rearview mirror at Sami.

            "You have a choice to make, too.  I am Professor Charles Xavier, and this is Scott, also known as Cyclops.  I have spent most of my life looking for people like you."

            For a moment Sami panicked.  She had hear rumors of the government experimenting on mutants – was this what he was planning? 

            "No, no," he reassured her quickly – _he could read her thoughts_ – "nothing of the sort.  I run a school for mutant children; Scott and I are both teachers.  I know your education is almost complete, but if you come to the school, we can help you master your gifts."

            The car pulled out of the heavy traffic and idled on the curb.  Looking out the window, Sami recognized her dorm at NYU.  She wanted so badly to return – but to what?  Her fiancé dead, her friends and classmates probably hating her…She looked back in the rearview mirror into Xavier's trust-filled eyes.

            "I'll go with you."


	3. The Wolverine and the Demon

A/N: Ok, now that I know I have a decent following of readers (yay and thanks!) I can rattle on about this story. Hopefully I finally have the chapter-posting issues figured out (my computor doesn't like me sometimes *slaps monitor*) and I will now have enough time to be posting new chapters! I'm sorry they're short, but my excuse is that the smaller the chapters, the more time I have to post! So here's chapter 3. Thanks for the reviews! (you know, flames ARE welcome, if something sucks, tell me so I can change it!) PS it was in the summary, but here it is again…X2 spoiler warning!!!! If you haven't seen it yet, a) go see it cuz it's a darn good movie and b) for your own sake don't read any more of this story!!! If you do don't yell at me about giving away the ending! 

            An hour and a McDonald's stop later, Scott brought the Mazda into a long, tree-lined driveway.  A sign at the side of the road welcomed them to "Xavier's School for the Gifted."

            "Do people buy that?" Sami asked dubiously.  "I mean, I know you can't just call this place a school for mutants, but 'gifted'?  Are all mutants just more intelligent than other people, so you can get away with saying that?"

            Scott snorted.  "Believe me, some mutants in here are far _less _intelligent than humans.  Not naming any names, but…"

            "Scott…" Xavier groaned in exasperation.  "Not now…"

            Scott laughed.  "Just telling the truth, Professor."

            The older man shook his head.  "No, Sami, that sign is only there for the public.  Actually, the parents of the students here are under various impressions as to what this school is – a prep school; a simple low-cost private academy; and for some, a…ah…'correctional facility' for some of our students who were upset about their new talents.

            "Of course, some parents know the truth.  A couple families actually sought out this school after their children became mutants and were not found by me first."

            The driveway suddenly flared out into a large courtyard, proudly displaying a massive ivy-covered mansion that was obviously Xavier's school.  As Scott drove around the mansion, Sami saw several sport courts, a grass field, and a swimming pool before they pulled into a garage that must have been half the size of the mansion.  Several other cars were parked inside, along with half a dozen ATV's and four motorcycles covered with a tarp.  Scott stared at them, frowing, as he helped Xavier out of the car.

            "One's missing…"

            Sami got out of the car, then promptly flattened herself against it as a man on a motorcycle roared past.

            Scott groaned as the newcomer returned the bike to its original space under the tarp and tossed the keys to Scott, laughing all the while.

            "Nice bike.  Thanks for the ride."  He removed his helmet and nodded at Sami, then at Xavier.  "Well, Charley, I see you were successful."

            "Yes, Logan, this is our new…member, Sami."

            Logan extended a hand, grinning, and Sami shook it cautiously.  She wasn't sure what to think of him – he was handsome enough, but the hair and sideburns on his head made him look like an animal.

            "Pleased to meet you," he said, then studied her face.  "You're a little old, though, eh?"

            "Twenty-three," she responded, a little defiantly.  Xavier rolled his wheelchair up next to her.

            "Remember, Logan, mutations don't only occur during puberty – a strong emotional event can trigger one."

            "Ah," Logan said tactfully.  "Another broken heart to mend?" Okay, not so tactfully. 

            "Put it that way," Sami replied bitterly.  "What, your lives are perfect?"

            Xavier glared at Logan, who took out a cigar and lit it.  "Far from it.  We're currently recovering from a loss of our own…" 

            Scott abruptly left the garage.  Sami watched him, puzzled.

            "What…"

            "We'll talk about it later.  Logan, would you show her to the empty room next to Storm's?"  Logan nodded and set off with Sami following in a cloud of confusion and no little fear. 

            The inside of the mansion was as regal as the exterior – dark wood paneling, carved banisters, formal chandeliers – but the room Logan led her to was stark white with minimal furniture.  

            "This _so_ needs a paint job," Sami said with a grimace.  Then she spotted her suitcases sitting on the bed.  "How did those get here?"  
            Logan grinned.  "We had a friend get them."

            Then – _bamf_ – a demon appeared on the desk.

            Sami shrieked and jumped backwards against Logan, who caught her and held her up.  The blue-skinned, yellow-eyed thing grinned at them, revealing perfectly white pointed teeth.

            "_Guten morgen_!  I apologize for frightening you."

            "Who…who's that?"  Sami gasped, goggle-eyed.

            "If he doesn't tell you himself, I'll eat my shirt," Logan grumbled, apparently unheard by the newcomer.

            "I am Kurt Wagner, but in the Munich Circus I was known as - "

            "The Incredible Nightcrawler, yeah, great," Logan interrupted, obviously expecting this showy introduction.  "This is Sami, she's new, be nice."

            Kurt jumped off the desk and extended a three-fingered hand.  "It is a great pleasure."  He kissed her hand dramatically, then he too examined her face.  "I think you are old for a student – your mutations arrived only recently, yes?"

            _Was it only yesterday?_  "Yes – I – was in an accident."

            Kurt nodded gravely.  "I understand if you will not speak of it yet, but I hope you will come to trust us."

            "We are here to help you, kid," Logan added.  "Just… realize that right now we have to help ourselves, too."

            He turned and left, closing the door behind him.  Sami suddenly realized that Kurt was still holding her hand, and she looked pointedly at it.  He released her, but before he could apologize, she asked, "Who are they all talking about?  Did a student die?" 

A/N: Absolute last warning! I assume if you're here you've seen X2 and you're fine with reading this, but if not…well you were warned.


	4. Grief Revealed

A/N: Hey, I finally remembered a disclaimer! Yeah I own Sami and that's it.  I do not own the X-Men. If you love Sami enough to use her enough in your own story (not likely I think) just ask me first.

A/N #2: new and hopefully improved Chapter 4!! 

 Previously in "A Twist of Fate:"              

Logan turned and left, closing the door behind him.  Sami suddenly realized that Kurt was still holding her hand, and she looked pointedly at it.  He released her, but before he could apologize, she asked, "Who are they all talking about?  Did a student die?" 

            Kurt hung his head and slumped on the bed.  "No – a teacher died.  Her name was Jean Grey, and she was a telekine and telepath."  He sighed, obviously not looking forward to relating this story.  "Basically, we were on a mission near a river dam.  The dam had broken, and the reservoir was filling, flooding, but our jet was stuck.  We couldn't get out."  Sami could hear the grief in his voice, but didn't know if she should stop his tale or let him ease his sorrow by telling it.  He continued anyway.  "Jean left the jet and used her powers to hold back the water and free the plane.  She wouldn't let us help her…" He broke off, letting Sami figure out the rest.

            The rest of the story fell together – and she was stunned.  She wasn't sure she could be that brave – or that powerful.  Kurt stood up and walked to the window, hands clasped together as he murmured what was most likely a prayer in German. She didn't need any mutant senses to know that he had lost a close frined – just like she had –  

            – Andy, I'm sorry, I wish I could have helped you – I'm so sorry, and I miss you so much - 

            His usually harsh yellow eyes held only sorrow, then surprise when he looked at her.  

            "But – why do you cry?"

            Only then did Sami realize that tears were streaming down her face.

            "It's nothing – please – I don't want-"

            Sami pulled back, furious at herself for crying, turning away from her temporary bulwark.  She only wanted to be left alone – and she only wanted to be held again – 

            "Like I said earlier, you will come to trust us…but even before that, I will be here for you."

            Sami looked back at him in surprise, but caught only a glimpse of his comforting smile before he vanished.

A/N #3: ok, well, that bit of thought relating to Andy is supposed to be italicized but it IS NOT cooperating *smacks monitor again* but I think it works ok anyway.


	5. The Wild Cards

A/N: PLEASE DON'T KILL ME HERE'S CHAPTER 5!!!! *cowers in corner* I'm sorry, my evil English teacher gave us about 10 million assignments and I had NO time to write…please please please don't kill me! Actually it's time to vote…I received some reviews that didn't really like Kurt's little breakdown so all y'all get to review again and tell me if it needs changing.  If no one votes it stays cuz I have to post new chapters before I'm murdered…so VOTE!

Ch 5

A/N the 2nd: oh yeah, = represents telepathic communication. Ooh, that was fancy. Heehee

            _= Sami, if you're done unpacking, I would like to see you for a moment.=_

            Sami looked up in shock, trying to figure out where this voice was coming from.

            _= It's Xavier, dear.  Storm and I wanted to try to figure out your gifts.= _

            "Um – okay," she answered aloud, feeling very foolish.  She felt Xavier's amusement in her mind.

            _= I _am _a telepath, dear, I can hear your thoughts.  Whenever you're ready, you can come down to my office.=_

"Um-" _=okay,= _she thought uncertainly.  Xavier "chuckled" again and Sami felt his presence vanish.  She stuffed a last shirt in the stark white dresser, thinking glumly that the room was in desperate need of paint, and left the room to find Xavier's office.

            _A senior in college, and one incident makes me a mutant with a new life to learn, _she thought unhappily.  She reflected on what Nightcrawler had told her – missions, jets, and telekinetic rescues.  How would she fit in here?  What sort of "gifts" was she supposed to have? Her only memories of that fateful night were car keys flying towards her, and leaves stirring on a windless night.

            Sami reached the staircase that would lead her to Xavier's office, and looking around to make sure no one was coming, she slid down the ornate banister and leaped off the end.  She had done that in her dorm every day, and it felt good to have some semblance of routine now.

            _Now that all the bridges have been burned, including those going forward – _

– unless a new bridge was being built here.  Sami knocked on the door to Xavier's office and went in.  Xavier was sitting behind his desk, and a white-haired but still young black woman stood next to him.

            "Ah, Sami, excellent.  I don't believe you've met Ororo; she goes by Storm, and I believe your rooms are nearby."

            "Good to meet you," Sami said, shaking hands yet again.  "Judging by your name, I assume you can mess up the weather with your powers." _Now_ that _would be a sweet talent._

            "That's right," Storm replied, smiling.  "And not just tempests – you'd be surprised how much good a little breeze can do on a mission."

            "And now we get to see what you are capable of."  Xavier rolled his wheelchair around the desk.  "Lie down, if you would."  He gestured to something that looked suspiciously like a psychiatrist's chair, and she stretched out on it uncertainly.  Xavier positioned himself behind her head and held his hands about two inches away from her ears.  "This might feel a bit odd."

            It did feel odd – like there were thousands of papers in the file cabinet of her mind, and he was searching through them for something.  She saw brief flashes of floating objects – a pale blue glow surrounding a horribly wounded person – someone dodging a bullet as it flew towards her – 

            Abruptly the images ended, and Sami looked up at Xavier's smiling face. 

            "Very impressive," he announced.  "You have three major talents, and one is quite unique – the first time I've seen it manifested in this form."

            "That must not be a bad thing, judging by the look on your face."

            "No, it will actually be incredibly useful – but for all the wrong reasons."

            Sami and Storm both looked at him expectantly.

            "First of all, you are a telekine."

            "Which is why I stole everyone's car keys…"

            "Exactly.  Your second gift is amazingly fast reflexes that seem to border on premonitions."

            _Then why didn't I see the accident before it happened?_

"And your third gift, the wild card, is a healing factor."

            "That's not exactly unique," Storm interrupted.  "After all, that's what Logan has."

            "Yes, but Sami can heal others, unlike Logan.  It seems to be an extraordinarily powerful gift – you can heal anything short of a mortal wound.  You can heal yourself as well, but it will take more energy."

            _All the wrong reasons…_Sami finally asked the question that had been stirring since she had first heard about her healing factor.

            "Could…could I have saved Andy?"

            Xavier looked gravely down at her.  "No.  A mutation, when it first manifests, is completely out of control.  Even if you had been able to focus your thoughts enough to concentrate on healing, the gift most likely would not have obeyed."

            Smai nodded sadly and sat up, but before she could leave, Xavier grinned and motioned for her to stay put.

            "I know it's not exactly healthy, but to keep you out of depression we're going to start training right away.  You may find yourself caught up in our business sooner than any of us expect.  Let me see…telekinetic lessons with me; Storm, you can work on honing this healing trait; and…" He paused, gazing out the window and tapping his chin thoughtfully.  "I would suggest combat training with Logan, as he is our best fighter, but…I don't think his style is quite right for you, judging by your powers."

            "Meaning Logan likes to kick ass and get it over with, because he can take a beating better than anyone else," Storm put in, laughing.  "He's more than a little belligerent.  That would be the wrong attitude to start out with, especially if he urges you out into open fire when your healing factor isn't reflexive like his."

            "True.  In that case, I believe Kurt would be the best choice.  From what I've seen, his martial arts are superb and his weapons of choice are matched knives – an altogether elegant and fluid style of combat."

            Sami took all this in with amazement and doubt.  _Nightcrawler?  Combat training?_

            "I think you'll be surprised at his skills.  Give him a chance." Xavier answered her thoughts, making Sami seriously wonder if he would be in her mind constantly.

            "I won't, trust me.  This extended contact is just residue from the mind-reading."

            Now truly alarmed, Sami hurried out of the room with a laughing Storm following.

            "Oh, Sami, if anyone asks, you're an intern from Union College," Xavier called after them.

            "Why?"

            "Unless you'd rather tell them you're a late-blooming mutant who's about to learn how to make books levitate…"

            "Point taken.  Thanks for the help, Professor."

            "No thanks needed.  Welcome to Mutant High."


	6. The First Day

A/N: Ok, here's the deal – no more death threats (or offering to help the "murderers"…you know who you are ;-)  ) and you get a new chapter every week. Not that I have a problem with HUMOROUS death threats, but I don't need them every week because I haven't posted due to my evil evil teachers. Thanks!

            It was almost ten o'clock before Sami was finally able to escape to her room.  Two solid hours of combat training with Nightcrawler (who occasionally cheated and teleported behind her to test her new reflexes, resulting in no few vicious kicks in the back), followed by a mentally exhausting telekinesis practice with the Professor, and finally dinner with the rest of the students.  At first she had felt out of place because of the age difference, but the students were welcoming and she was introduced to far too many people to remember clearly – among them Rogue, Kitty, Bobby, Siryn, and Peter, the last being easy to remember since he was so damn _tall._  After dinner, Storm had insisted on working out her healing powers, which had required them both to slice open their fingers, but resulted in Sami having a good idea of how to use her new gift.

            Now, however, she had a raging headache that her powers could do nothing about, and all she wanted was to go to sleep.  As she flicked on the light, she saw a small package lying on her bed.  Curious, she picked it up and unwrapped it.

            Two shining knives fell out onto the blankets.

            She stepped back, shocked.  Even with the recent and quite unusual events, receiving knives at ten at night was beyond frightening.  As the shock wore off, she noticed a smaller package and a note still caught in the wrappings.  Wondering if this was a bizarre gift or some sort of threat, the picked up the note and read:

Sami – The Professor believes you will find these useful.  From watching you today I have decided that you will be quite good with them.  I also realize that psychic work gives one a terrible headache, so I have taken the liberty of providing some aspirin.  Bring the knives to practice tomorrow – 

            Much affection,

                        Kurt Wagner

            That was an odd way to sign a note.  Even stranger was the aspirin; Sami certainly could have gotten some herself. _Blue elf certainly wants to make a good impression,_ she thought with a grin.  Another set of hammers throbbing inside her skull brought all her attention to the aspirin, which she downed immediately before dropping into the bed and turning off the light.  A sudden thought encouraged her – 

             – and she flipped the light on telekinetically.

            Off, on, off, on, off for the last time…

            This mutant stuff might not be so bad after all.


	7. Fitting In

A/N: I'm sorry these are short! I really will work on it and they really will get better! Not that this one is much better…by the way until June 25 I cannot guarantee regular postings. The school is determined to get me killed by lack of posting!  I'll be lucky if I get anything up next weekend…especially since Harry Potter comes on Saturday! YES! So it's not likely that I'll be writing much, but I will try. Honest. Don't kill me! *runs away in panic to burn down the evil school*

            Her alarm went off far too early to be legal.  Groaning, Sami reached over and slapped it off, opening one eye just enough to see the time.

            _Already 8:30?_ She hadn't slept well at all, haunted by dreams of the new knives, stifling red and blue police lights, and, of all things, Nightcrawler.  Not that that would have been a bad thing, but he kept teleporting up at the oddest times, scaring her awake every single time. 

            She rolled out of bed and got ready for the day in a half-asleep stupor, nearly falling down the stairs on the way to breakfast. 

            Unfortunately, the cafeteria was already empty – breakfast had come and gone.  So Sami made her way to the empty staff lounge and found some cereal, wondering how long she had before Storm or Xavier hauled her off to training.

            Considering Xavier, not long at all…

            She yelped as Nightcrawler appeared right in front of the refrigerator.

            "Dammit, Kurt, can't you use doors like everyone else?"

            "Kitty doesn't use doors," he replied impishly, using his tail to open the refrigerator and take out a carton of orange juice.

            "Yeah, but between the two of you just appearing in rooms I'll be scared into a premature heart attack."  She telekinetically opened a cabinet and floated a glass out to him.  He raised an appreciative eyebrow and took it out of midair.  After filling the glass, he set it on the table in front of her, then _bamf_ed across the lounge to get another glass.

            Now it was her turn to be surprised.  She took an uncertain sip and choked on it as Kurt _bamf_ed into the seat across from her.

            "As much as it seems to the contrary, I am not trying to kill you," he said with an apologetic smile.

            "I'll decide that after the training session," she replied, still coughing on the stinging orange juice.  "Speaking of, thank you for those knives.  I…ah…wasn't expecting them, but I guess they'll be useful."

            "You had better believe it," he said, grinning.  "They are very special weapons, you know.  The Professor made sure they were made from a non-magnetic metal polymer."

            "Why would he do that?"

            "Has he not told you?  One of our greatest opponents is called Magneto.  He is a mutant who can control magnetic fields."

            "Ah.  I wonder why Xavier hasn't told me about him."

            "I'm sure he would have.  Perhaps he just wanted to help you get a firm grasp on your abilities before telling you too much information that could frighten you away."

            "Like I have any choice," she grumbled, draining her glass.

            "Do you really want a choice?  There always is one, you know – but do you still want it?"

            Sami sighed – that was exactly what she had been thinking since the night of the accident. "The choice I want is impossible…to go back to before it happened."

            "But again I ask, is that really what you want?"

            "No, I guess not…it's not like I have anything to go back to.  My friends will all probably hate me…I have no idea what my parents think…and…"

            Sami couldn't finish the thought, but wasn't sure she wanted to.  Still determined to not show too much weakness in front of these people, she covered the tears burning in her eyes by draining the last of her juice.  Kurt chose to change the subject.

            "You know, we all have code names here – have you been thinking of any?"

            That was surprising.  She had never really thought about the code names here – Nightcrawler, Cyclops, Storm…but they all had specific powers that their names fit.  What could she say for telekinesis, telepathy, and healing? Teke? Float? God, they sounded bad even in her head.  

            "I guess I could do something with the knives," she said quietly, still thinking.  "Swords, knives, sabers…Sabere!"

            They both said the name at the same time.  Grinning, _Sabere_ lifted her empty glass in a toast.

            "Brilliant.  It'll work."


	8. Accident

            A/N: OK, you get two chapters in one weekend! Plan well and DON'T READ THIS ONE YET!!! Or if you do don't listen to anything Aceles says! And if Sarah offers to lead my murderous fans to my house, don't let her!! It will take a miracle to get a chapter up next weekend, and if one doesn't come up (time to pull my advertising pitch) go read Unable to Touch in this section. Hopefully it will make everyone happy and I get to keep my overstressed, overworked and unpaid hide for another week! YES! 

As the Professor had claimed, Nightcrawler was an excellent fighter.  Sabere, however, learned quickly, almost as if she had already learned the skills and now was just refreshing her memory.  This was only her sixth day at the Institute and third practice session, but Nightcrawler often had to teleport out of the way of some of her more vicious attacks.  Her reflexes were improving, too – she could almost sense when he was about to teleport, and had turned to meet him before he had even reappeared.

            Today Nightcrawler was teleporting madly around the training room, escaping blow after blow and making Sabere sprint around after him.  Finally she decided to cheat a little, and she threw a telekinetic bar in his path to trip him.  As expected, he fell head over heels into the wall, blinking at her in surprise.  Sabere grinned and released one of her knives, floating it down to his current eye level and sending it flying into the wall next to his head. 

            Except he moved, and the knife sank deep into his right shoulder.

            He yelled and sank back down, pulling out the knife before it could do any more damage.  Sabere dropped down at his side, reflexively establishing a painblock while entering the healing trance.  She cupped both hands over the wound, and watched proudly as a pale blue glow formed around her hands and the injury.  She held it there for a few moments, subconsciously reconstructing blood vessels, muscle, skin…The wound healed and the glow faded.  Sabere relaxed and removed her hands, already feeling the beginning of a headache between her eyes.

            Kurt inspected the bloodied hole in his shirt, running a finger over the smooth skin.  He raised his eyebrows in surprise and met her gaze.  Sabere shivered – _but from the demon face or my feelings?_ – and shrugged, embarrassed.

            "I'm sorry – I got so caught up in the fight, I didn't – I really am sorry - "

            To her surprise and immense relief, Kurt laughed.  "I believe you have simply made up for all the times I have nearly frightened you to death.  But rest assured, if you did not have that healing gift, things would not have ended so well."

            "That wouldn't have been fatal – "

            "No, but I certainly wouldn't be able to move as well, and then where would we be?  I would be very grateful if you did not do that again, but you took care of everything quite efficiently.  Xavier will be impressed."

            "What, that I nearly killed one of his X-Men during a weapons practice?"  She was still in shock and was quite surprised that Kurt was taking this so well.

            He simply laughed, and to her very great surprise, he kissed her cheek and vanished. 


	9. Vision

A/N: OH MY GOD I DON'T HAVE ANY HOMEWORK!!! So I'm celebrating the lovely June day my sitting inside typing…but it's all good since something exciting is finally about to happen! YES! The plot is getting somewhere! Well I guess something exciting happened yesterday…anyway. So guess who just realized that Sabere looks like Sabertooth…oops. Oh well we all know who's cooler. Anyway this chapter gets a little into Kurt's religiousness…hope I don't offend anyone.  Then I'll get two sets of death threats…*shudder* If it's too bad I'll change it, just let me know again…but since the voting worked so well last time (thank you Aceles), it just might stay as is unless they threaten to throw me off the site. But they can't, it's Kurt! IT"S NOT MY FAULT!

Disclaimer: This is my take on Kurt's POV on religiousness and even tho Aceles hates disclaimers (hehehe) I'm making one so no one kills me too badly. I am not trying to spread anything here. Leave me be!

            The sun was finally starting to warm the May morning as Sabere returned to the mansion.  She had risen early and walked around the school grounds, including some of the trails in the woods between the school and the lake.  The size of the ivy-covered building never failed to impress her, but today she was surprised to see a figure crouched on the roof.  Sabere touched its mind cautiously and recognized Nightcrawler, who responded to the new presence in his mind with panic.

            _=It's me,=_ she reassured him, then waved when she saw him searching for her.  He waved back, the disappeared and reappeared next to her.

            "_Guten morgen,_" he said cheerfully, and to her relief appearing no worse for wear because of the accident the day before.

            "Hello," she replied uncertainly, still hoping that he didn't hate her.  "What were you doing up there?" 

            "Praying," he answered, opening his three-fingered fist to reveal a crucifix.  "Being up there, I see the world God has made, and even though it may reject me, I think it is beautiful.  It is so easy to praise Him when I see His beauty."  His smile quirked.  "Now I suppose you are atheist or something and now you hate me completely…"

            "Oh, no, never," she stumbled – _dammit, I'm blushing, aren't I_ – "I never really thought much about religion.  Sort of an Easter-Christmas Christian.  It's…been difficult for me, I guess."  As soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted it.  She had very few reasons to be upset with whatever God was out there, and here was Kurt, who had all the reason in the world to condemn Him, and was the most devout Christian Sabere had ever met.

            "But what about you? How do you…keep the faith in your…situation?" _And here I am making a bad situation worse. Go figure._

Kurt only smiled.  "God made me this way, so why should I be unhappy?  Besides, He has given me friends everywhere I go."

            "You're an easy person to befriend."  _Stupid cheeks! Give everything away, why don't you…_

And before she could stop herself – "Why did you kiss me yesterday?"

            He raised an eyebrow.  "I'm European.  It's what we do."

            Sabere didn't believe a word, but also didn't think it would be very ethical to enter his mind and see if he was telling the truth. 

            "You do not believe me?"

            "The Europeans kiss both cheeks," she replied impishly.

            "Fine."  So he promptly kissed both cheeks and teleported away.

            "Kurt!  Stop doing that!" she yelled, looking around to see if he was somewhere nearby.  Of course, he wasn't, so she went into the mansion, already plotting what to say to him at weapons practice.  She was still fuming when she ran smack into Logan.

            "Whoa, kid, you okay?" he asked.

            "Yeah, fine," she answered him, trying to gather her scattered psychic awareness.  But it was evading her – she felt dizzy and held tight to Logan's forearms. 

            _=danger=_

A thought that was not Sabere's crossed her mind – 

            _=here, Sabere=_

            The room around her faded to a grayish mist, through which a woman strode towards her.  She was too faint for Sabere to see – 

            _=there is danger.  I cannon tell you more – Stryker=_

Abruptly the room came back into focus.  Logan was supporting her, staring at her and demanding if she was okay.

            _=Stryker=_

            "Sami – come on, say something!"

            Sabere slowly released him and stood up unsupported.  "I…just heard something…"

            "What? What happened?"

            "Somebody said there was danger…something about someone named Stryker."

            Logan tensed.  "Stryker's dead.  You sure you weren't just remembering something Charley told you?"

            She shook her head.  "No one's told me anything about a Stryker. I think it was some sort of vision…a woman was trying to warn me…"

            "A woman?"

            Logan had never been this anxious before.  "Do you know what's going on?" she asked.

            "No, but the Professor might."

            Sabere nodded dumbly, still caught in a stuporous trance.

            "Look, are you really okay?  You look kinda pale – are you sure you're not gonna collapse on the way to his office?"

            "No…no, I'll be fine…" Saber left a still-nervous Logan and managed to find her way to Xavier's office, trying to remember every detail of the vision through her mental fog.

            All her numbness vanished as soon as she opened the door.

A/N: DUN DUN DUN!!! Mwahaha I luv cliffhangers.  *taps fingers evilly and waits for reviews* see y'all later!


	10. New Hope

            Charles Xavier had fallen out of his wheelchair and lay unconscious on the floor, blood running from his nose and eyes.

            "Oh my God!"  Sabere immediately rolled him onto his back and cautiously healed the broken capillaries.  She had barely finished the job when Xavier pushed himself upright.

            "Jean!"  His eyes were unfocused, and at first Sabere though he had had a concussion or something.  Then she realized that he must be in a trance, like what she had experienced – except she wasn't bleeding.  Abruptly his eyes refocused and he gasped for breath, still whispering something about Jean Grey.

            "Um…Professor?"

            Xavier didn't move.  "You saw it too."

            "Well, I…don't know what it was.  I had a vision, but I don't think it was as strong as yours."

            "I don't remember mine."  Xavier was still staring into space, but now his forehead was creased with worry.  "I know Jean was there – but I don't remember what she told me."  He looked down at his bloodstained clothing and used his handkerchief to clean off his face.  Then his expression finally focused and he looked at her.

            "What did you see?"

            She told his what had happened, trying to remember if she had seen the woman's face or not.

            "…and she said something about a Stryker –"

            "Stryker?"  Xavier now looked alarmed and angry.  "Stryker's dead."

            "That what Logan said."  Now Sabere was frustrated.  "Will someone please explain?  I don't even know if that woman was Jean, never mind who Stryker is."

            Xavier nodded, now looking only tired.  "Help me back into my wheelchair and I'll tell you."

            Her telekinetic skills were still not developed enough to do the job (even without a strengthening headache) so Sabere could only steady the wheelchair while the two of them managed to get the Professor back into his rightful and more dignified position. Sabere sat down in one of the other chairs, ready for whatever he would tell her.

            "William Stryker," Xavier began, "hates mutants.  He loved his son, Jason, more than his own life – until Jason became a mutant.  Stryker wanted him to be 'cured,' but as I tried to explain to him, mutations cannot be 'cured.'  So Stryker grew bitter; used his own son to control those who served him, and also to try to kill us all."

            "How could he do that and keep it all under wraps?"

            "It wouldn't have been under wraps – after the fact.  He'd have a lot of lives to answer for.  But it would be easier than you think – Cerebro.  No, you don't know what that is either."  He sighed and rubbed his face wearily.  "I don't know why I didn't tell you everything at the start…anyway, Cerebro is a machine that I built which keeps me in contact with every mutant on Earth.  Stryker set a trap, one I hadn't expected, and Jason's illusion-creating mutation nearly convinced me to wipe the planet clear of mutants – 'clean the gene pool,' as others would put it.

            "Well, the same flood that took Jean also killed Stryker.  So, I have no idea who this vision is referring to…but I have no doubt that the woman warning us was Jean."

            Xavier frowned again.  "Perhaps if I read your mind, I could discern the meaning of our visions, but it seems unlikely…"

            "You're welcome to try.  At least that way one of us will know what's going on."

            So Xavier again raised his hands to enter her thoughts…

            …and Sabere lost her psychic footing entirely.  She was being pulled away in a wave, a flood of wild memories that were not her own…lost…drowning…

            _CHARLES!_

            _Xavier searched through the sudden chaos in Sabere's mind, trying to sort out the memories from two – no, three – minds.  Jean was shouting frantically, calling his name – but was it just a memory, or was it really her?_

_            HERE, CHARLES – _

_            And immediately the memories cleared.  There was Jean, looking exactly as she had when he had last seen her.  His heart broke at the sight of her, one of his first students, like a daughter to him – _

_            =Don't talk, Charles, just listen.  I have very little time.  William Stryker's brother, Geoffrey, is planning - = He couldn't hear, she was fading, flickering in his vision =Go to Alkali!=_

            Xavier blinked, meeting Sabere's still frightened eyes.

            "What was that about?"

            Xavier smiled suddenly, for the first time in too long.  "It means we know where Jean is!  Go tell the others and have Scott get the jet ready."

            "But isn't she –"

            "Dead?  It certainly doesn't seem like it.  I think there's more that need to be discovered, and not much time in which to discover it."

            Sabere turned to leave, but then felt something that made her stop in the doorway.  _Xavier's anxious – worried about Jean, and his students…somebody named Moira? She could help us? And Stryker? Why isn't he dead?_

            "Sabere, what are you doing?"  Xavier's sharp voice penetrated her confused thoughts.

            _She's in my mind…what in the world, she doesn't have telepathy…_

_            Professor, what's going on…_

"Sabere!"

            Suddenly there was silence – and privacy.  Xavier sighed deeply.  "Well, that was unexpected.  It looks like Jean left some of her own telepathic powers in you.  They'll only be temporary, but I've had to set up a barrier to keep your thoughts isolated from others, since now we don't have enough time to train you. You'll be able to breach the barriers if you need to, but I suggest you avoid it."

            Sabere nodded dumbly, trying to get over the bizarre sensation of having what felt like a brick wall around her mind.  Remembering what Xavier had asked her to do, she jogged away to find Scott.


	11. Back to Alkali

A/N: THE STORY IS GETTING SOMEHWERE! YES! 31 handwritten pages transformed into 10 (well, now 11) posted chapters! Too bad I'm almost out of prewritten stuff…I foresee writer's block….meh. anyhoo to those of you who predicted Jean was the vision person, congrats, but I guess it was slightly obvious…my friend was ticked that ppl figured it out! But that's ok, at least the pitchforks have gone away…temporarily…*looks around suspiciously and types faster* So enough babbling, read on…wait first I have to say that the new Potter book TOTALLY ROCKS and I finished it already!!! Also that I'll be on vacation from June 30-July12 so no postings then…deepest apologies! Will post more asap! 

            Scott stared.  "You're joking."

            "I'm not! The Professor was practically dancing, he was so happy."

            Scott scooped her up suddenly, hugging her tightly and bruising a few ribs in the process.  "I could kiss you," he said fondly, setting her back down.  "Okay, Storm, let's go get the _Blackbird_ set."

            "I'm on it."  Storm was barely hanging on to her calm composure, but with Sabere's gradually strengthening telepathy, she could easily see the older woman's joy.  Logan watched them leave, glaring sullenly at Scott, and Sabere sensed mixed emotions – the expected joy at Jean's return, but also jealousy, and love connected to that jealousy.

            _Hmm…a love triangle? This could get ugly…_

"Did Charley say anything about your uniform?"  Logan's question brought her back to the present.

            "No," she replied, puzzled.  "What kind of uniform?"

            "Didn't Charley tell you anything?  Have you ever even been downstairs?"

            Completely bewildered, Sabere shook her head.  "Isn't this downstairs?"

            "Good God, what _has_ he told you?  Anything?  Alright, forget it, come with me…Jesus, Charley, what were you thinking?"

            Still grumbling about Xavier's lack of information, Logan led her to what looked like another portion of the wood-paneled wall – except that when he hit it with his fist, it slid away, revealing a simple but futuristic elevator.

            "Xavier definitely didn't mention this."  Sabere entered the elevator, watching wide-eyed as the door slid closed and the elevator dropped gently.

            "Huh.  When I got here he gave me the full tour."  The door opened again and Logan led her down a utilitarian blue and white hallway.  "So let me get this straight – Charley never told you about Magneto, this area of the school, or Cerebro?"

            "Until today, yes."

            Logan just shook his head.  They walked into a wide room that held a dozen glass cases, but only two contained black leather suits.  Apparently the rest of the X-Men had already been here.  Each case had a small engraved nametag over it – Wolverine, Storm, Nightcrawler – and Jean Grey.  Two roses lay on the bottom of her case, one red and one white.  Logan sighed and continued past.

            "Yup – yours is right here."  Logan pointed to one of the cases, and went to the other to gather his own uniform.

            Sabere was still looking at the roses.  "You liked her, didn't you?  I know one of those is from you."

            She suddenly found herself staring at ten inches of adamantium claws.

            "What's it to you, bub?" he snarled.

            In reply, she whipped out her own ten inches of knives and, in three swift movements, threw his hand aside and caught his neck in a scissorhold.

            "Curious."

            She resheathed the knives and went to the case containing her uniform.  It looked like simple black leather, but obviously it was well-armored and still flexible.  This thing could take one helluva beating and still look good, too.  Knife sheaths hung at each thigh, exactly where she liked them, and she could see what appeared to be a small spike-launcher under each wrist.

            "Yeah, I did like her."

            Sabere turned back, having not expected a response, certainly not one so unabashed.  

            "It's no secret.  I'd just prefer you hear it from me, rather than Scott."  He sighed.  "No more questions, kid.  We gotta go find her now, and it'll be all mushy-smushy with Scott…" Logan snarled and stalked out of the room.  "Don't loiter in here, alright?  When you're done, go down the hall to your right.  That's where the jet is." 

That left her no more chances for questions, one of which being how the hell she was supposed to open the bloody case.  She searched all over for a button or lever or something, but finally resorted to opening it via telekinesis.  Muttering about high-tech secret devices, she found a small changing room and pulled on the uniform.  All her grumpiness vanished as she sheathed the knives and looked in the mirror.  Granted, it was more than a little weird to be playing SuperWoman in an armored uniform with various mutants, but the uniform was quite flattering, and she admitted that it looked pretty good on her.  Content that everything was in place and functional (she test-launched a small metal spike into Logan's case, just to annoy him), she jogged out of the room and down the hall.

            An open door led her into a massive garage, which held the most incredible plane she had ever seen.  Sabere admired the sleek and obviously high-tech jet as she hurried up into it.  _That totally rounds off the weirdest day of my life,_ she thought giddily.  _First a vision from a dead – well, supposedly – woman, then an outfit that's probably a SWAT dream come true, and now a stealth superjet – _

Wait.  Jet.  _Dammit._  Sabere had always hated flying because she usually got airsick.  Great.  And with the others, who were apparently used to flying, all strapped into seats that folded out from the wall, she felt even worse.  Scott and Storm were in the front, piloting, but Logan, Kurt, and Xavier were all seated around her.  Actually, Xavier's wheelchair was locked into the floor, but he didn't look at all uncomfortable with the upcoming flight.

            _=That's because this jet is so well-built that none of us ever get motion-sick.  Unless, of course, we wind up in a dogfight.=_

Xavier, of course.  Didn't he have any other minds to break into?  _=You're probably used to it by now.  I've had trouble flying all my life.  And if we do get into a dogfight, I'll make Kurt get me down to solid ground.=_

_            =I thought you'd be in a better mood.  You're about to reunite old friends and explain our visions.  And you got your uniform in record time – most students take at least three years, but you got yours in less than two weeks.=_

_            =Logan says he got his practically the day he arrived.=_

_            =First of all, he was unconscious for most of his first day.  Second, he was already a skilled fighter and didn't need training.  Needless to say, he didn't like the uniform.  Apparently it didn't suit his sense of style.=_  Accompanying that last thought was a caricature of Logan smoking a massive cigar and wearing torn and dirty jeans and tee-shirt.  Sabere had to stifle a chuckle, making Kurt give her an odd look.  Her amusement was immediately replaced by nausea as the jet gained speed and soared over the forested land below.  And to her dismay, her powers could do nothing about it.

            "We should be there any minute now," Scott said distractedly from the front as he scanned the ground below them.

            "Good," Sabere muttered, looking resolutely at the floor and willing herself to not be sick.

            The jet suddenly lowered into a snow-covered clearing, and Sabere sighed with relief as the plane touched down.  They had a spectacular view of an abandoned military base, complete with a shattered dam and a lake expanding into the woods around the base.

            Logan unfastened his harness and stood up, staring bitterly out at the landscape.

            "I hate this place."

            Xavier undid his own supports and rolled towards the lowering ramp.  "Back at Alkali…let's hope everything goes better this time around."


	12. Return of the Phoenix

A/N: Ah *ahem* yes well one of my friends was kind enough to point out my stupidity in this story…somewhere along the line Sabere wound up w/ telepathy that she wasn't supposed to have. Ignore that. When I finish I'll fix it but now her telepathy disappears. I fixed one chapter but there's the incident w/ Kurt on the roof that will just have to stay for now. Ooops…yeah my mind has shut down for the summer so sorry about screwups like that. Anyway this chapter is bloody short but I'll get another up tonite. I hope.

A warm stream of air flowed down to the edge of the lake, melting away a strip of bare ground beneath the snow.  Down this path came six companions, one in a wheelchair.  Storm led the way, guiding the air current through the snow and creating a path for Xavier.  The others walked alongside, studying the gloomy surroundings for any sign of Jean.  The only noise was the gentle lapping of the lake, and Sabere began to wonder if they had come here for nothing.

            Xavier shook his head.  "I can't sense – "

            "Shh - " Logan hissed, holding up a hand and staring intently into the lake.  Sabere started to protest, but then she heard it too – a low rumbling in the middle of the reservoir.  They all watched as a glowing, boiling white area spread in the water.  The rest of the lake was unchanged, but the brilliant roil was rolling as fiercely as a waterfall, and was now shining too brightly to look at.

            The group shielded their eyes as a radiant form rose out of the chaos.  When Sabere was finally able to raise her eyes to the apparition, she was barely able to make out the form of a woman, arms raised, within the glow.

            _"She is needed.  I release her to you."_

            The glow seemed to form a bird shape, wings spread, then shone again so brightly that they had to look away again.

            When their eyes finally recovered, they saw a red-haired woman standing on the shore, smiling.  Scott stared in shock.

            "Jean?" 


	13. Stryker's Plan

A/N: Okay, okay, I'm back! Please don't kill me!! Actually I got back on the 12th but I didn't post cuz a) I was jetlagged b) my birthday was the 14th! Yay! And c) I wanted to see how many death threats I got *taps fingers and laughs, then locks the door and cowers under bed* Altho it is no longer truly safe for me delay since one of my friends has _kindly_ volunteered to give my address to Aceles and whoever else was going to raid my house with pitchforks…anyway.  PS the voice was the Phoenix. My comic-book-reading friend tried to explain it to me, but I still don't get it…I did run into part 4 of 5 of the Phoenix Saga on the tv show one day, but that totally didn't help my lack of understanding (plus kurt wasn't there ;-) and what's the point if everyone's favorite blue elf isn't there?) 

Update: Sabere's unwanted telepathy has been fixed except for the Kurt-on-the-roof incident, but I'm too lazy to fix that. If there are any other spots feel free to yell at my stupidity. Thankee varee much.

            The red-haired woman smiled at the group.  She was tall and quite pretty, even though her uniform, which was identical to the rest of the X-Men's, was torn and muddy from months in the lake.  Her brilliant green eyes swept happily over her friends, but finally alighted on Scott.  He was the first to recover and he took Jean in a bone-crushing hug, which she returned.  The others, except Logan, turned away to give them some privacy.  Logan looked like he was trying to stare a hole into the back of Scott's head, and e made a disgusted face before finally turning away like the rest.  Sabere studied the isolated forest around them, wondering how in the world Jean had survived in a lake for nearly three months – and what in the world had spoken and released her onto the lake edge.  It certainly didn't seem like part of her powers, but then, Sabere had very little idea of what was going on around her. 

            "Charles."  Jean's voice signaled the end of her personal reunion, and Sabere returned her attention to the pair.  Scott was still holding tightly to her hand, but the worry in Jean's eyes revealed that her mind was now on business.

            "There's something I need to tell you.  My visions didn't hold up as long as I had hoped, so-"

            "That's fine, dear, we have all the time in the world," Xavier assured her.

            She smiled briefly, then resumed her solemn demeanor.  "Apparently William Stryker had a brother, Geoffrey Stryker.  Needless to say, he's not happy about what happened to dear Billy, which didn't help his own anti-mutant feelings.  Somehow – don't ask me how, because I don't know – I discovered that Geoffrey is researching and manufacturing a toxic drug that is targeting mutants.  First, it will make powers completely uncontrollable – either they will shut down completely, or act on their own accord.  And it's poisonous, and after too much exposure, the mutant's powers will overwhelm them completely and kill them."

            "Some happy reunion," Logan grumbled.

            "I did discover where Stryker is working. He's almost finished with his first batch, and I have no idea how it will be distributed."

            "What's his most likely method?" Sabere asked, speaking for the first time.

            Jean, who only knew who she was from the vision, gave her a measuring look before answering.  "Probably in food.  He doesn't know how it will affect normal humans, so airborne would be too risky – at least food can be directed to a know source."

            "Like the school," Storm commented bitterly.  "He'll know where _that_ is."

            "He'd target us anyway, since _obviously_ mutants were the cause of his demise.  It's all our fault, you know."  Jean rolled her eyes.  "Anyway, his last option is an injection, but that would be too slow and risky, since he'd have to lead known mutants to a doctor."

            "Or just bop 'em over the head and shoot 'em up right there," Logan suggested.

            The others ignored him.  "We'll just have to be careful about where our food is coming from," Xavier said, frowning.  "We may have to resort to simply grocery-shopping to avoid this.  Meanwhile, I'd like Kurt and Kitty Pryde to go to this base and see what they can find out.  But before that - " he smiled broadly at them all and began the return trip to the jet – "We have a lot to celebrate."


	14. Welcome Back

A/N: Time for my first miserable attempt at romance! Yippee skippee. It's kinda funny actually I usually can't stand romance in movies (like in TTT w/ Arwen's vision bit…I slept thru that) but I rather enjoy writing mushyness. Sorry to all those who dislike descriptive kisses but hey, it had to happen eventually.  And the website (or my computer) is being styupid so I can't post this! But by the time you read it it will be posted! Just wanted to let everyone know that this chappie and the one before were ready, but my computer is evil! Anyway…enough ranting. On w/ the story.

Wait sorry Aceles, but now that Jean's back I guess I need do disclaimerize.  I do not own Jean. Or the Phoenix. I don't even understand it. I only own Kurt ;-) nope j/k now all the government folks can get off my back.  

            To say that Jean's return caused a stir among the students would be like saying Hitler was bad – understatement of the century.  When Scott let her out of arm's reach she was swarmed be students who offered her so many "welcome back" cards that Sabere was sure she'd die from papercuts.  The rest of the time she was in Scott's arms – and Sabere couldn't hold back sadness.  It didn't help that she felt left out of the big happy reunion, since she hadn't known Jean and still didn't know the others that well.  And now, seeing Scott and Jean sitting together in such casual intimacy…

            It brought back memories she was trying so hard to suppress.

            While he others were all eating Sabere pled "not hungry" and fled to her room, away from _them_.  She fell onto her bed and stared at the ceiling for a while, allowing herself to remember some of the better times.

            When she had first met Andy at a surprise party for a fellow freshman…how nervous they had both been since this was their first year in college…

            Their first date at a movie that was so bad they walked out and spent the rest of the time in a music store…

            Introducing him to her parents when he came home with her for the summer of sophomore year…they had been so impressed with him…

            Him kneeling in the restaurant, offering the rest of his life to her…

            Sabere refused that thought to go any further.  She left the room, trying to flee memories that had never hurt so much.

            She found herself in one of the many common rooms of the mansion – which was, of course, the one Kurt had chosen to read a magazine in.  He was crouched on the top of a wingback chair, his tail swinging idly back and forth like a cat's.  

            "You are bored of the festivities also?"  He turned and smiled a little, softening his harsh features as he closed the magazine and flung himself onto a couch, stretching out invitingly.  Sabere stared resolutely at the magazine cover on the table.

            "No…I was just tired.  And I felt…a little left out…"

            Kurt sat up and patted the seat next to him.  "I felt the same.  But you are welcome here, if you wish."

            _Dammit, stop being nice…I've already cried on your shoulder once…_But she gave in, and as she sat down, the room around her blurred with tears.  Sabere clenched her jaw, trying desperately to stop crying, but she felt Kurt's arm around her shoulder and leaned closer to him.

            "Since you arrived, Xavier has said nothing of why you came here," he murmured.  "Will you tell me now, and ease your pain?"

            Staring blankly at the floor, she felt the entire story leave her mouth for the first time.  Sabere had no idea why she was telling him this – after all, they had only met a couple of weeks ago, and what encounters they'd had were mostly limited to weapons practice and occasional run-ins around the mansion.  Yet at the same time she felt a bond – deep caring and affection that was bordering on…love.  Now that was something she hadn't considered, and wasn't sure she wanted to yet.  She looked up at him, having finished her story, and met his eyes.

            She had never seen him look so helpless.  "I hate seeing you so sad," he whispered.  Kurt caressed her cheek, brushing away her tears with a surprisingly light touch.  "I wish I could make it all go away…"

            Sabere wanted so badly to be touched, to be loved again – _but it's not fair to him – I'm just trying to replace Andy – _but she had made up her mind now that their bond _was_ love, and if it wasn't yet, it should be.

            So she leaned forward and kissed him with assertiveness that surprised them both.  Kurt hesitated momentarily, then returned the kiss with just as much enthusiasm.  She felt one of his hands at her waist, and the hand still on her cheek stroked it briefly before trailing down her neck and across her shoulder.  Her own hands traveled up his arms to his neck and brushed through his hair.  She felt his tail wrap around her shoulders in a second embrace and smiled as his lips traveled down her neck – 

             - and they both heard footsteps coming down the stairs outside the room.

            Sabere scrambled backwards, fixing her hair and adjusting her rumpled shirt while reaching for the remote.  Kurt straightened his own clothing and was about to teleport when Logan entered the room.  Sabere flicked through the channels hastily and stopped on a random station.  

            "Anything good on?" he asked, taking a swig of Coke.

            "Oh – yeah – this show is – really good - " Sabere stuttered, desperately hoping that her appearance wasn't giving anything away.

            "Sabere," Logan said, looking at her like she had sprouted horns, "you hate this show."

            She looked back at the TV, only then realizing that she had turned to some dumb reality show.  She opened her mouth for an explanation – but she didn't have one.

            Logan shook his head.  "Who'd've thought the fuzzy blue guy would get some action?  Ah well. I get it, I'll leave…the two of you can make your own steamy soap opera."

            Sabere threw a pillow at his retreating back, then slammed the door in his face with her powers. 


	15. Life, Interrupted

A/N: Momentary panic attack…lost notebook! Need future writings! Found it anyway, on w/ the story.

            Rather to Sabere's disappointment (but as she had expected), Kurt declined the "soap opera" and pled fatigue, bidding her goodnight and leaving the room by foot.

            Sabere was in too much shock to notice this change of behavior.  This evening had taken a turn she had not expected – first, spilling her most painful memory to a blue-skinned, religious German, then _kissing_ him.  Never mind the fact that she could never face Logan again; and _what_ the Professor had picked up she could only imagine.  Either way, she was embarrassed – and content.  If Andy had one flaw, it was his occasional belligerence and lack of manners.  Kurt, on the other hand, was so gentle and serene.  Sabere felt totally at ease around him – trusting, confident – and from what she could tell, he felt the same about her.

            The celebration seemed to be winding down at last, so after a quick mental check to make sure no one was nearby – _I wish this wouldn't wear off – _she returned to her room.

            A folded piece of paper lay on her pillow.  Curious, she raised her hand and called the paper to her while still standing five feet away from it.

            _=Well done.=_

Sabere panicked momentarily – that voice was _not_ Xavier's.

            _=It's Jean. I'm sorry to break in like this, but Xavier hasn't taught you shields yet, so I thought I'd take advantage of the opportunity.=_

_            =To do what?=_

_            =Talk to you.  May I come in?=_

Sabere sighed and stuffed the note into a drawer.  _=Go ahead.=_

The door opened and Jean Grey walked in.  Sabere was immediately jealous – the woman wasn't more than four or five years older than her, but she had the most gorgeous and intelligent green eyes in a face that managed to be strong and pretty at the same time.  Her deep red hair was stylishly and flatteringly cut, making Sabere wish her own lackluster dark blonde was anything but.

            Jean smiled and Sabere had to fight to keep from scowling.  "Am I interrupting anything?"

            "Nope, Logan already took care of that.  Is anything wrong?"  Sabere knew she sounded bitter, but she couldn't help it – besides, Jean was still in her happy I'm-not-dead bubble and didn't seem to notice.

            "Actually, I wanted to ask you about your powers.  It's really unusual that they've emerged this late – actually, I don't think it's ever happened before."

            "I don't want to talk about it," Sabere replied tersely._  I already spilled once this evening, and the last thing I want from you is your pity._

"That's fine," Jean replied, showing no signs of being offended.  "I know you're a telekine, and that you have amazing reflexes – Xavier mentioned a healing talent, but there wasn't really much time to talk."

            "Yeah, he thinks I can heal anything short of a fatal wound," she answered, thinking wryly back on the "accident" in the training room.  Apparently he'd forgiven her.  "So far I haven't had much testing opportunity, which I guess is a good thing."

            "Hmm."  Jean seemed on edge, like she had a burning question, but wasn't sure if she should ask or not.

            _=But that's not the real reason you're here, is it?= _Sabere asked, deciding to turn Jean's powers back on her.

            _=No…I…=_  Jean didn't reply, but Sabere could read her mind easily.

            _Fear, for one thing – fear of what this Stryker is planning, of what could happen – fear of death, and not only hers – and fear of love? No, fear of bonds – and the weaknesses they cause – and _my_ weakness – _

_            =You're afraid I won't hold up,=_ she accused.  _=You think I'm too weak for all this.=_

Jean tried to cover, but it was impossible to lie mind-to-mind.

            _=Xavier is, too,= _she said apologetically.  _=You haven't really had true combat experience, and your powers are untrained enough so they might not do us any good against this.=_

_            =So what do you want me to do?  After all, that isn't _my_ fault.=_

_            =Train harder,= _came the reply she'd been expecting.  _=Combat training every day now, and more work with offensive telekinesis.=_

_            =But if this drug takes out powers - =_

_            =At least you'll know how to use them when you need to.  Now I know you wanted privacy, so we'll talk more tomorrow.=_

Sabere nodded and shut her out, pointedly turning her back and recovering her note.  Jean left without another word, and Sabere unfolded the note and stared at the words without reading them.

            _They still don't trust me! I'm fighting their fight, learning their rules, spilling my guts to them, and they don't think I can take it!_

She took a deep breath to calm herself – the last thing she wanted now was Xavier coming in asking why she was so angry.  Focusing on the note, her anger faded to disappointment and a little fear – 

            _Sabere – _

_            I don't know when you will get this, but I haven't had much of a chance to tell you earlier so I will do so now.  Professor Xavier has asked me to go with Kitty Pryde to the military base and see what is happening there.  I leave early tomorrow and will be gone for two or three days (All I know is that the base off the coast of Maine. We're taking the jet.)  Xavier has volunteered Logan to take over your training until I return.  Good luck with him.  I can assure you, I was not happy with the Professor's choice – judging by his, well, what could pass for manners, he will not be a good match for you.  However, you are free to show off your skills – as he might say, kick his ass. You've learned plenty, and hopefully enough – I doubt this whole incident will end quietly._

_            Take care,_

_                        Kurt_

Sabere balled the note up and hurled it in the general direction of the garbage can.  If her night could go any further downhill, this was it.  Kurt leaving for doubtless danger – and leaving her to stand up to Logan's taunts _and_ reportedly vicious fighting style – was not what she wanted to hear.  Never mind her residual telepathic skills – the "wall" Xavier had constructed didn't seem to be holding up.  She was deathly afraid of it breaking down and letting her drown in emotions, like what had happened in Xavier's office.

            A knock on the door interrupted her gloomy thoughts.  "No, go away, come back tomorrow…" She groaned and flopped face-first onto the bed.

            "Okay, I'll wake you up at four in the morning to say good-bye," came Kurt's voice from outside.

            She sat up and telekinetically flung the door open.  "You're leaving me with _Logan? _The Wolverine?  Never mind he'll try to dice me, I won't be able to look him in the face!  While you head off into the headquarters of anti-mutantness…"

            "Sabere," Kurt said gravely, walking in and seizing her shoulders, "you need sleep.  Both Kitty and I are perfectly capable of getting out of danger if we have to.  Besides, most people run away when they see me, no?"

            "No, in a military base they'd say 'Mutant!' and start shooting at you, _then_ run away."

            "They can't catch me."  Kurt grinned and kissed her forehead.  "Now get some sleep.  I want you to be well rested and ready to take on Logan tomorrow morning.  And when I return - "

            "- if - "

            "- _when_ I return, I don't expect to see you in the health wing because you couldn't handle the Wolverine.  Make me proud, okay?"

            She started to protest again, but a massive yawn cut her off.  Kurt laughed and gently pushed her back down on the bed.  "I'll be fine, _Leibe, _I promise.  I'll be back in three days."

            And before she could say anything else, he vanished.  


	16. Quite the Morning

A/N: Well, all my prewritten stuff is gone. If the rest of the story sucks it's cuz I'm writing it cold and not editing it as much as I should. Oh well.

            When her alarm went off at 8:30, Sabere was still so tired that, for the first time in her memory, she picked up the clock and hurled it against the far wall.  Unfortunately, the resulting crash brought in Logan, who dropped her uniform on top of her and wouldn't leave until she had gotten out of bed.  Staggering downstairs to the kitchen, she stole a cup of Scott's coffee and rummaged through the cabinets, trying to find something sugary and unhealthy.

            "Help yourself to the coffee," Scott offered, entering the kitchen with Jean at his side.  Sabere stuck her face in the cabinet so they wouldn't see her disgusted face, then turned around calmly with a box of Cocoa Puffs in her hand.

            "Thanks.  Does anyone have dibs on these?"

            "I think those are Kitty's.  But she's gone, and we won't tell."  Scott grinned conspiratorially and filled his own mug with coffee.  "By the way, why are you in uniform?"

            "Training with Logan," she groaned, emptying a milk carton onto her cereal.  "He came in this morning and dumped it on me…I guess he wants me to get used to wearing it."

            "Logan?" Scott looked up in shock.  "What crime did you commit to be sentenced with _him_?"

            "Well, Kurt's on his way to the military base, so the Professor decided that Logan would be the best substitute."

            "The Professor's insane," Jean groaned.  "When I suggested training every day, I didn't think it would be with that man…"

            Sabere shrugged and finished the last of her breakfast.  "The way I see it, if he gets too rough on me, I'll just remind him that there doesn't happen to be any adamantium in the place he probably values most."

            "Ooh." Scott flinched in sympathy.  "I don't like the guy, but that would almost be more than he deserves."

            "Since Cyclops doesn't like him, I assume we're talking about me.  Are you ready, kid?"  Logan growled from the doorway.  

            "Why aren't you in uniform?" Sabere asked.

            "'Cuz I won't need it.  Come on, already."  He stalked down the hallway in a clear invitation to follow.

            "I'll make you need it," she snarled under her breath, floating one of her knives out to her hand.  To her surprise, Logan went not down to the training room, but outside onto the front lawn.

            "Why are we out here?"

            "Different approach today.  I want to see how your reflexes can handle things shooting at you.  I also want you to try using your telekinesis to shield yourself."

            Sabere looked down the stone path.  It looked harmless to her – until Logan pulled up what she had thought was a sprinkler and revealed a laptop computor.  He typed something into it, and to her shock, several guns rose out of the grass and swivled around, doubtlessly looking for her.

            "I'm timing you…on your mark…go!"

            Sabere took off running down the path.  Immediately the closest guns opened fire, and reflexively she raised her hands and shielded herself from the blasts.  She rolled and dropped into a crouch, then launched a spike from her wrist into the nearest gun.

            _~behind you more guns~_

She whirled to face a gun that was mounted high in a tree behind her, shielding herself again, and this time angling the shield so it sent the bullets back at the gun, exploding it.

            _This place must go through a lot of money if all the students come out here and butcher these guns._

The area around her was clear, and she sprinted forward, wanting to get out of there before she lost her focus and messed up her shields.  

            _~duck something ahead of you~_

Three spinning blades flew out of a cluster of trees.  Sabere dropped into a crouch again and deflected two of the blades – 

             - and Xavier's mental wall dropped unexpectedly.

            _ - damn this kid's better than she looks – Jean's all wrong about her abilities - _

_             - man, where's rogue, she was supposed to meet me - _

_             - Sabere! Fight it! -_

_             - I'll go, Professor – Sabere, hang on -_

_             - how can scott give us this much homework so early?- _

_             - the last blade! - _

            The thoughts of every person in the school flooded her mind as Sabere collapsed, trying desperately to hang on the herself in the storm of minds.  She was vaguely aware of being knocked to the side, but there were so many voices – where was she – who was she – 

            And the world silenced.

            Jean Grey was kneeling next to her in the grass.  The last blade lay broken on the path – next to Logan, who had a horrible gash across his back.  Sabere sat up in horror – and watched in amazement as the wound healed over on its own, leaving a bloody tear in his shirt.  He sat up and stretched, massaging the place where the injury had been moments before.

            "You okay, kid?"

            Sabere just stared at him.  "You knocked me out of the way."

            "Well, yeah, you weren't exactly focused on avoiding the blade.  That thing woulda taken off your head."

            Sabere turned to Jean.  "Did you put up a new block?"

            "Actually, no, I didn't.  Apparently the telepathy wore off on its own.  Are you feeling okay?"

            _My name is Sami.  I call myself Sabere now.  I'm at Xavier's school for mutants.  Kurt's on a mission with Kitty Pryde. I broke my arm when I was five.  I had braces in senior year in high school.  Well, at least all those memories are mine._

"Yeah, I think I'm fine…a little disoriented, though…"

            "That would make sense, seeing that you had over two dozen minds in your own a few minutes ago.  You should probably – "

            Jean was cut off by the sound of a jet overhead.  The X-jet hovered over them for a moment, then disappeared down through the basketball court.

            "They're back early," Logan said in surprise, getting stiffly to his feet.

            "I hope everything's okay," Sabere murmured, jogging off to the hangar.


	17. Uncertainty

A/N: SORRY SORRY SORRY I went on vacation again, I really meant to get another chapter up but there was never time…fortunately my house was not surrounded by torch-and-pitchfork-bearing fans when I got back! *phew* Yeah, the last chappie was a bit Evo-ish, but I like the evil path so I though I'd use it.  Logan is acting very Evo-ish, too, but maybe that's not such a bad thing.  Anyway. I could have watched X2 on the plane coming back but the effing sound wasn't working, so the DIDN"T PLAY IT!!! Grrrr. Ok on w/ the story…

            Jean led the way down a ladder into the hangar.  Kurt was already outside the jet, and Sabere nearly fell off the ladder in shock as Kitty Pryde dropped smoothly through the bottom of the jet.  Both looked far from at ease, which certainly meant bad news was in store.  As the hangar door-slash-basketball court closed overhead, the side door opened and admitted Xavier and Scott.

            "Okay, the available gang's all here – now tell us what the hell is going on."  Logan folded his arms and glared at Kurt.  Sabere was relieved to note that she could no longer sense even a hint of the emotions around her.

            Kurt looked squarely at Jean.  "The base was completely empty.  Either it has been abandoned for some time or it was never in use.  Everything was in its place, nothing broken or dirty, no missing equipment, nothing."

            "And before you say anything," Kitty broke in as Jean started to say something,  "we checked underground and through walls, everywhere.  We even took the jet over, like, a fifty-mile radius to look for other islands, and used all the scanning we had to check for anything under the water.  There's nothing around for miles."

            Jean closed her mouth and frowned.  "I have no idea what this means…I'm sure you went to the right base, and I believe that you examined everything, but it makes no sense…"

            Xavier shook his head.  "Maybe your visions of Stryker and his plans were somehow coming for the future."

            "Or there really another base under the water that the scanners couldn't pick up," Sabere suggested.  "They'd build their base to be invisible to sonar and stuff, so it's entirely possible they went right over it and missed it."

            "I don't like it," Logan growled.  "I told you we needed to update the scanning equipment."

            "No one likes it," Xavier sighed.  "As for the equipment, we _do_ have a budget, and only so much of that can go towards high-tech jets.  We'll just have to watch our backs for a while, or at least until we get reports of the drug taking effect elsewhere.

            "And here, life goes on, so Sabere, I believe you have a training session to finish, and Kitty has classes.  Thank you for your help, both of you."  Xavier, Scott, Jean, and Kitty left the hangar, leaving Sabere alone with Kurt and Logan.  Sabere's stomach growled, and she wished she had eaten more at breakfast.  _Before all our food is drugged…_

            "Okay, elf, since you're here, we might as well run you through the path, too," Logan announced.

            "What's the point?  It takes me less than a second to get through – I bet I could finish before you'd even started timing me."

            Sabere chuckled, but Logan glared at both of them before heading towards the door.  "There may be a time when you won't be able to teleport your blue ass to safety, so I suggest you run through like normal mutants."

            "Ha…normal mutants…" Sabere really did laugh at that.  "So we have normal mutants and – "

            "And smart-aleck women and blue elves – "

            "And wolverines who can't take a joke," Kurt finished, grinning.  

            "Just get in the elevator," Logan groaned, pointing the way with three claws.  "And I'd avoid trying to joke, since I know something you might not want around the school…"

            The trio crammed into the elevtory, and Sabere blushed beet-red.  Logan laughed triumphantly.  "You might want to try to control that, it'll be a lot easier to deny the facts when you don't look like a high-schooler caught in the act by her parents."

            "If you think she's red now…" Kurt joked, and Logan laughed harder.  Sabere reached around him, trying to smack Kurt, but he teleported out of the elevator, making both of the lose their balance and collapse.  So when the door opened aboveground, Kurt found Sabere sprawled in a very undignified position on top of Logan, who appeared to be greatly enjoying the whole thing.  Kurt grinned, then promptly turned his back and, with all the airs of a soap opera actor, said "And here I thought you cared!"

            Sabere, however, wasn't paying attention.  She was watching a truck roll down the driveway to the back of the school – the truck that would bring in a fresh supply of food for the students.

            Kurt and Logan watched its progress as well, all of them thinking about what could be in the truck's cargo.

            "I'm sure it's all fine," Logan said uncertainly.  "And if not, we'll deal with it.  Right?"

            "Sure."  Sabere decided that she wasn't really hungry anymore.


	18. Stryke One

A/N: uh oh I think I was gone too long. No one's reviewing!! Ack! That's ok, it's only been a day. Take your time. I'll just sit here…and wait…and write aimlessly…and plan future angst…and remember details from the Two Towers which are making me want that movie like NOTHING ELSE!!! *sigh* but I must wait patiently like everyone else. 

            At dinner, the rest of the X-Men seemed to have the same ideas about the food shipment as Sabere.  Logan, as expected, ate enough for three, but the others only picked at their dinners, and Jean ate nothing at all.

            Scott finally put down his fork and looked up at the others, a quirky smile on his face.  "Well, we could always start doing take-out."

            Xavier shook his head, started to say something, then changed his mind and just left the table.  Sabere forced herself to finish the last of her meal, trying not to wonder if she'd be seeing it again later that night.  She left the room without saying a word to the others, but she could hear them standing up and clearing the rest of the table.  The students leaving the cafeteria were subdued and far too quiet for her liking, and as she joined them going up the stairs, she heard Kitty behind her insisting, "The base was empty.  I'm sure everything's fine.  The base was empty."  But hers was the only voice, and no one seemed to believe what she was saying.  

            Sabere returned to her empty room and dropped on her back on the bed, absentmindedly fiddling with one of her knives while floating a dozen marbles around the air above her in an exercise the Professor had taught her.  Then – _bamf_ – her concentration was broken as Kurt entered the room.

            "Couldn't knock, could you?" she grumbled, gathering the marbles and returning them to their pouch.

            "I thought you would want to know.  Kitty just fell through the stairs into Cerebro.  On accident."

            "Well, yeah, would you just pop through the floor and fall down like that?" she retorted, trying to cover up the cold fear that had just gripped her stomach – _it was actually happening._

            "Sabere, you don't have to act like that.  Just because the others doubt you doesn't mean I do."  She could read the concern in his face, but refused to show anything on her own.  "You and I both know that the food was drugged.  And you are not the only one who is afraid."

            Sabere took a deep breath, clutching her pillow to stop her hands from shaking.  "Is Kitty okay?"

            "She's fine.  She is just lucky she got control again before she fell further into the ground."

            Kurt sat down next to her on the bed, a small and far from humorous smile on his lips.  "I imagine I will be seeing a lot less of you now – considering I'll be teleporting in and out of the mansion God knows when."

            She shuddered and hugged the pillow to her chest.  "Is that what will happen?  Are we all going to lose control?"

            He put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close.  "I don't know.  No one knows.  We can hope…"

            Sabere leaned against him, wishing they could just _go _somewhere, anywhere, and get away from what was sure to come.  "Kurt, we could end up killing each other.  If we all lose it, who knows what could happen."

            "There's a happy thought," he murmured, smiling a little.  "God will take care of us, and if His will is otherwise…" He sighed and kissed her forehead before standing up.  "I'll see you on the other side."

            Kurt teleported out of the room before she could say anything more, and she curled up on the bed as if to protect herself from the coming night.

* * * *

            _Xavier sat in the dank underground chamber of Stryker's base.  The helmet-like device around his head was constantly buzzing in the back of his mind, ruining his focus and slowly driving him insane.  And there was Jason, poor Jason sitting in his own wheelchair, wanting only to please his vicious father and ready to torment or kill anyone who got in his way.  The room around them vanished and Xavier was in Cerebro – not his, but the rude copy that Stryker's men had made.  He could faintly hear the screams of pain and distress around him, in him, everywhere – some he recognized and some he did not – he tried desperately to stop what he knew he was doing, killing off his students, his friends, his X-Men, but _he_ would not listen, and Cerebro went on, murderously reaching for every mutant on the face of the earth – _

_            And then Jean.  She was standing outside the jet in the snow, both arms outstretched as she freed her friends and held off the oncoming flood with her own supernatural strength._

Jean, come back, don't do this – _but he couldn't stop her, none of them could, and the flood roared over her, around her, carrying her away in its coldness – she couldn't fight it – _wake up – 

            Sabere sat up in shock, trying to sort her own thoughts from Xavier's unshielded mind.  

            _=Jean, I need your help – hurry = _

Sabere cupped her hands over her ears as if she could block out the purely mental assault, and squinted in the darkness at her room.  Almost instantly she was overcome by a brutal headache, and she gasped as she fell back on the bed in pain. Then she shrieked as she saw what was going on around her.

            Everything in her bedroom was flying around her bed.  The lights started flickering on and off, revealing in a freakish glow the chaos she was inadvertently creating.  Her knives chased each other in circles, slashing the walls, the chair, anything they came close to, including the edge of her pillow.  The headache raged on, and in the commotion, she saw Kurt appear and disappear in less than a second near her door.  One of her marbles struck her in the cheek, and she desperately tried to reach for her control, trying to stop this before she killed herself – 

            And the headache vanished, and with it, the telekinetic storm in her bedroom.  Everything dropped to the ground – except the knives, which were embedded up to their hilts on either side of the door – and the lights stayed on, illuminating the torn-up wreckage of what had once been an orderly room.  Kurt appeared in her room again and collapsed on the end of her bed.  Sabere rolled him over hastily, and he groaned and squinted up at her, then stared at the slash in her pillow and the knives sticking in the wall.

            "You were wrong, _Leibe_," he whispered hoarsely. "We are going to kill ourselves." 


	19. This Side of Hell

A/N: Where are my readers?? I'm lonely…*tear* or are people reading and not reviewing? Review please please please! ah well at least no one can accuse me of not writing! Too bad it took a bit of an angsty turn…but maybe things will turn around. Maybe not. Maybe everyone will die…hmmm *taps fingers evilly and plots dramatic murders* nope, not yet, first we have to survive the night! Yeah for Griffin and anyone else was confused (understandable, it makes sense in my mind so I prolly am not as clear as I should be) The Great 2-Second Review: Jean's back, she's had visions of William Stryker's brother Geoffrey making a mutant-killing drug that he's probably going to put in food and ship to the school, Kurt and Kitty go and search Stryker's base but it's empty and they can't find the real thing. They all come back and get nervous cuz the food shipment is here and they think it's drugged. Lo and behold, it is, and here's the next pile of…hopefully not the crap I think it is. 

            Sabere lay with Kurt, not daring to move in case either of them got hit by the drug again.  Around them in the rest of the mansion, chaos reigned.  They could hear occasional shrieks all around them, accompanied by various noises of heavy objects falling over.  The only blessing was that no one's thoughts or memories had exploded since Xavier's earlier that night.  However, Sabere didn't find that too reassuring – for all she knew, Xavier was dead.  

            Before that cold thought could sink in, there was a small disruption in the form of Kitty Pryde.  She fell with a cry through the ceiling, through Sabere, and down through the floor.  Kurt tensed, expecting to teleport out at any moment.  Before Sabere could ask him how he was feeling, the familiar headache split across her forehead and she shoved Kurt away as the knives ripped themselves clear of the wall and stabbed deep into the mattress on either side of her.  After that a rush of red cut off her vision and she reeled in semi-consciousness until the pain finally faded.  At last she was able to open her eyes, and the first thing she saw was Kurt crouched against the wall, eyes flicking back and forth between the knife in the wall next to his head – and the other floating an inch in front of his face.

            "You seem intent on turning my gifts against me," he said calmly, seizing the levitating knife before it skewered him and wrapping his tail around the hilt of the other.  He tossed both back to Sabere, who slid one down into the feathery hole it had made in her bed.

            "This is going to wind up being expensive," she complained lightly as she locked both knives in her upturned desk.  "Between buying food to avoid the drug, buying or repairing broken furniture, paying the inevitable medical bills or funeral fees, and getting a new damn mattress – "

            _~scott's beams the wall the bed get out~_

They both heard Scott yell something from down the hall, and Sabere grabbed Kurt and hauled him towards the door as the far wall exploded in a ferocious blast of red, which proceeded to throw her entire bed against the other wall, punch a lovely big hole in it, and finally shut off, leaving her room a smoking mess.

"About that mattress…" Kurt murmured, eyebrows rising higher and higher as he surveyed the wreckage.  "How did you know – "

Sabere shook her head, partly in denial and partly because she really was shaking from the repetitive shocks.   "And you call yourself my teacher.  I have reflexes, remember?  I could almost see what was about to happen."

She was very aware of the slightly intimate position they were in, but didn't really feel like moving, and Kurt was making no effort to move either.  It was nice to just lay in the quiet for a bit and feel safe…

…and then Logan stuck his head through the hole in the wall.  "Are you – "  He stared at the remains of the bed and the disarray of furniture, then spotted the duo huddled against the wall.

"I seem to have bad timing."

"Damn right, you do.  So what kind of apocalypse is happening in your room?"  Sabere knew she was blushing again, and covered it by standing up and attempting to heave the rest of the bed into a slightly more useable pile.

"The Four Horsemen of Indigestion have struck.  No shredded furniture, just plain poison."  Logan stepped through the hole into the light and helped setting intact furniture upright.

"Don't bother," Sabere sighed, dropping down onto the remnant of the mattress.  "It'll all be out on the lawn by morning."  She knew they were all trying to cover up their fear, but right now, she didn't care – if they others were as terrified as she was, she would pretend just like they were, and whatever the Mighty X-Men thought of her could go to hell.

"I thought your powers protected you from poisons," Kurt inquired, watching concernedly as Logan sat gingerly on part of the desk.

"They do," he grumbled.  "That would be how the drug is affecting me – throwing my regenerative stuff out of whack.  It's worse for Charley and Jean, though – right after Xavier's nightmare, they both went into comas."

Sabere looked up in shock.  "You're joking."

"Ha ha, not really.  Right after Xavier's nightmare, he and Jean both went out.  Actually, she went first – that last bit about the flood was her nightmare – and when they couldn't help each other out, they both…well, we think it's only a coma.  No one's been, well, stable enough to check on them."

"Lord help us…" Kurt murmured.  

Logan abruptly stood up and clambered back through the wall to his room.  Sabere heard a door slam – the bathroom door.

"Poor Logan," Kurt sighed, apparently truly sympathetic.  "I hope the drug wears off."

"And now that Jean's unconscious, we won't be able to ask her about her visions," Sabere added.  "Maybe whoever's been least affected should take the jet back out and – "

They both clearly heard the knock on the front door of the mansion.

"Who the hell…" Sabere's now broken clock read 12:10, which would have been a bizarre time for anyone to be out visiting anyway.

"Should we go see who it is?"  Kurt frowned.  Logan came back through the wall, claws out, sniffing suspiciously.  Scott soon followed, wearing his visor instead of  sunglasses.  He studied the mess of Sabere's room and shrugged apologetically.

Kurt was watching Logan.  "Can you tell who it is?"

Logan threw open the door and glowered down the hallway.  "Yeah," he snarled, raising his claws.  "It's Magneto."


	20. Surprise, Surprise

A/N: YES! Someone reviewed! I have not been forgotten! Praise god! Do a little dance! PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING!  

Oh yeah and I should say that I don't own Magneto or anyone else who's showing up with him. LAWYERS, LEAVE ME BE!!!

            "Magneto?"  Scott repeated.  "What the hell is he doing here?"

            "I dunno, but he's gonna leave before the drug hits him too and he bends me into a pretzel.  Let's go give him a proper welcome, eh?"  Logan jogged down the hall and let the others catch up.  Unfortunately, they didn't even reach the stairs before Kurt stopped in his tracks, clutched his head, and vanished.

            Another knock on the door sent Logan running down the stairs with Scott on his heels.  Sabere looked around in vain for Kurt before following.

            Logan threw open the door to reveal a very odd couple – an elderly man who carried himself like royalty and had a condescending smirk on his face, and a younger woman – completely naked – who would have been quite beautiful if she didn't have scaly-looking blue skin, completely yellow eyes, and slicked-back auburn hair.

            "What do you want?" Scott demanded.

            "I hear you've come across a bit of trouble," the man said calmly, locking eyes with each of them before settling on Sabere.  "I had a very interesting nightmare earlier this evening…something from Alkali Lake, if I remember correctly…"

            Logan raised his arm, preparing to stab the man, but his arm froze in mid-strike.  The man sighed and glared at him.  "Ah, the young…when will you learn that I can bend your body…" He raised a hand, and Logan's arm moved slowly backwards, despite his obvious attempts to stop it – "…to my every…" Logan's claws spread apart, making him wince as they pressed against the bones of his hand – "…whim?"

            Kurt's sudden reappearance behind the blue-skinned woman startled them all, and Logan took the opportunity to retract his claws and wrench his arm back into place.  He looked at Scott, who laid his fingers on the trigger for his visor.  "Magneto, how did you have the dream?  Have you been in the mansion?"

            Magneto shook his head.  "For people who live at a school, you are certainly unintelligent sometimes.  Charles is the most powerful telepath in the world.  It's very likely that this entire hemisphere picked up his nightmare – including the man who made him have it."

            "Stryker," Sabere whispered as Kurt ducked around the woman and entered the mansion.  "He'll know the drug has worked."

            "Now this one's more up to my standards," Magneto said approvingly.  "What's your name, and why haven't we met before?"

            "You're the visitor, let's have your names first," she retorted, wishing she had brought her knives with her.

            "Forgive me.  I am Eric Lensherr, but you may call me Magneto, and this is Raven Darkholme, or Mystique."

            The woman at his side nodded in acknowledgement, smirking at Logan before striding forward confidently into the mansion.

            Scott stepped firmly in front of her.  "You still haven't told us what, exactly, you're doing here."

            "Extending a helping hand," Magneto announced.  "Since the X-Men have now been rendered…well, powerless, we may be able to help you."

            "The last time you 'helped us,' you tried to kill the Professor and carted off one of our students," Logan growled.  "Forgive us for not jumping at the opportunity."

            "Where is John, anyway?"  Scott asked.  "Is he out there?"

            Magneto hesitated.  "He is not here, if that's what you were implying.  No, he is…indisposed, as it were."

            "He was drugged, too," Sabere realized.  "You were going to use him as a bargaining chip, or something."  

            Magneto tapped a finger to his temple.  "You are either too smart for your own good, or you're another telepath who is going to make me regret forgetting my helmet.  I still don't have your name.  Yes, John, or Pyro, was drugged – how, I do not know – and if I were to find the antidote for the drug, I would give your share if you let John stay with me, where I believe he is truly blossoming."

            Before the others could argue, Kurt spoke for the first time.  "Do you know where the base is?"

            "No – "

            "Then how are you getting the antidote?  And shouldn't John be allowed to decide for himself where he wishes to be?"

            "I was _going _to ask to borrow your magnificent jet before I was repeatedly interrupted.  I would use my own powers to find the base from the jet, get the antidote, and offer some to you – "

            "In return for a student.  No – " Scott winced suddenly, took three steps away from them – 

             - and his eye beams exploded with such force that they took off his visor and took off most of the far wall and part of the staircase next to it.

            Magneto raised his eyebrows and extended a hand, bringing Scott's visor back to him.  "Well, it's your choice."  He suddenly seized Sabere's hand and pressed a round metal something into her palm.  "Contact me."

            With that the pair left, Magneto closing the doors behind them without touching the doors.

            Sabere examined Magneto's parting gift, trying to decide what it was, but before she could, Logan snatched it out of her hand, tossed it up in the air, and sliced it in half on the way down.

            "What was that for?" she demanded.

            "We're not contacting that sonofabitch, no matter what he has to sell us," Logan shot back.

            "Why not, he could have helped us, he could have found the base – "

            "We don't need him to," Kurt broke in.  "I know where it is."

            Three voices chorused, "How?"

            "I teleported there on accident, just a few minutes ago.  I swear it is, it looked exactly like the one Kitty and I searched – except there were soldiers there."

            "Can you get back?" Sabere asked anxiously.

            "No, no, not now, how did you get all the way to Maine?  Where exactly have to gone?"

            Kurt shook his head.  "It's nothing to worry about.  I did not recognize many of the places, but I knew some, and no one has seen me yet."

            "But if you can't teleport voluntarily, how do you know you won't get stuck somewhere?  It's been dumb luck that you've wound up back in the mansion at all."  Scott had replaced his visor, which was surprisingly undamaged, and was watching Kurt uncertainly.

            "It's been dumb luck that I haven't teleported into a wall or something.  It won't be a problem.  We won't be able to get to the base now, anyway.  No one could sit in the jet for more than five minutes without falling out of it, blowing it up, or telekinetically messing up the controls."

            "Or having one of the Four Horsemen strike…" Logan grumbled.

            "I've made my point.  No one goes near the base until the drug wears off."  Kurt was losing his temper, but Sabere didn't blame him – between the drug, no sleep, and an unwanted visitor, she was ready to scream too.

            "How do you know it will?"  Sabere asked.

            Kurt took a deep breath.  "I don't know.  I don't know anything.  We just need – "

            The rest of his sentence was lost as the room suddenly swirled around Sabere and the familiar headache seared her mind.  She fell to her knees, gasping from the throbs of agony, trying to decide whether she should fight the pain and live or just die and make it all end…

            Her last conscious thought was relief.  _At least the knives are upstairs._

A/N: It might actually be interesting to kill Sabere. Totally pointless, but interesting.  I'm letting the world know that I'll be on vacation till next Sunday so there will not be any new chappies until then. Please don't desert me again! Thanks to the few who reviewed! 3 days til TTT!


	21. Stryke Two

A/N: YAY I have my reviewers back!!! At least sahjelm… aceles, where are you??? Oh well. AND YAY TWO TOWERS IS OUT AND IT ROCKS!!! And the preview for ROTK is so fricking awesome! But I already saw it online before new line shut it down!!! Mwahaha…oh yeah the extended TTT looks sweet too! Precious…OK *ahem* yes more questions to answer…Sabere can be pronounced however the heck you want, but I say it "sah-beer" or "sah-behr", I don't really have a specific pronunciation.  It doesn't mean anything, but I was trying to go along with knives, swords, SABERS…so I twisted "saber" and got Sabere. And thanks to Bagira my german-knowing reader…haha uh woops…yes I should be using liebe. Yeah, "bodies" sounds slightly weird. Writing more now. *buries face in book to cover blushes*

            Sabere awoke on a couch in one of the common rooms.  Sunlight was streaming in the window, revealing the group around her.  Logan was sitting on a nearby chair, Rogue, Bobby, and Kitty were sitting on the floor, and Storm was standing behind Logan, leaning on his chair.  Kurt was balanced on the arm of the couch above Sabere's head. All were watching the television for some reason – it was a senate meeting, not anything interesting.  Kurt suddenly noticed she was awake.

            "Thank God," he sighed, reaching down and touching her cheek.  "We were afraid you wouldn't wake."

            "How are you feeling?" Logan asked.

            She sat up slowly.  Her head started throbbing again and she tensed, thinking she was about to storm again, but she realized it was only dizziness and with Kurt's support, sat up fully.  "Head hurts," she grumbled, staring determinedly at the floor and refusing to give in to nausea.  "Feel like I'm gonna be sick."

            "Let's see…" Storm checked the clock on the wall.  _Probably the only functional one in the mansion,_ Sabere thought.  "You've been out for nearly seven hours.  You probably got the most rest of all of us."

            "I don't feel like it," she groaned, massaging her head.  "I feel like I'm about to lose control – on more than my powers."

            "You lost control in your sleep," Kurt said quietly.  "I think you were having a nightmare.  You were saying something about…well, Andy.  But you didn't do anything bad, _Liebe_, you just threw some pillows around," he added hastily, seeing her anxious face.

            "I don't remember any dreams," she frowned.  "And what's _Liebe,_ why do you keep calling me that?"

            "It's nothing," he said hurriedly while Logan snickered.  

            "You speak German?"  Sabere asked.

            "Yup." Logan folded his arms behind his head.  "Let's just say he likes you."

            _Why, why did she always have to blush? _ At least Logan wasn't pressing the point too badly.  That was the last thing she needed, even if it did lighten her mood a bit.

            "Now, about the base," Storm said unexpectedly.  "This can't go on much longer – either the drug will wear off or we'll all be killed.  We need to get there and get the antidote as soon – "

            She broke off as Kurt teleported out of the room.

            "Oh, shit."  Sabere gasped, sitting up.  "He could get stuck at the base!"

            "There's nothing we can do about it, lover-girl," Logan sighed.  "We have to wait it out."

            The room sat in silence, waiting.  Everyone looked up as Kurt reappeared, clinging to the ceiling.  He held for a moment before dropping back to the floor – 

             - and vanishing again.

            Shouting voices on the TV were drowned out by Rogue's shriek.  "Kurt's in the senate meeting!"

            "Shit!" Sabere repeated, launching herself towards the television and staring in horror at what was happening onscreen.  Everyone watched on borderline panic as Kurt Wagner froze next to the speaking senator.  They could all tell he was trying frantically to teleport out, but with no success.

            A voice in the meeting – "That's the guy who tried to kill the president!"

            "Oh, God, no," Sabere whispered, still staring at the screen.

            Military guards were swarming the meeting in seconds.  Kurt leaped out of their way, more agile than a cat, but without his teleportation her had no chance.  Sure enough, as soon as he was about to reach the doors, one of the soldiers fired a tranquilizer gun and Kurt fell, a crumpled shadow.

            "Alright, boys, take him away."  The soldiers onscreen surrounded him, obscuring their vision, and moved out of the building with Kurt in tow.

            Bobby reached out and turned off the TV, but everyone was still staring at it.  Sabere realized she was digging her nails into her own arm, drawing blood.  Gingerly she released herself and looked up at the grim faces around her.

            "What do we do?" Kitty whispered hoarsely.  

            They all looked up briefly as an explosion sounded upstairs and pieces of wall fell in front of the window outside, accompanied by a flash of red light that was Scott's beams.  Storm shook her head.

            "I don't think we can do anything," she said quietly.  "Nothing yet…except hope."


	22. Turnaround

A/N: NOOOO back to school today! Spending the last few hours of freedom in X-Men Land! Here's an idea for somebody to bounce – Sentinels. Should I bother, or sequel, or forget it? Now you MUST review! Mwahahaha!

PS. This chapter (and Ch 20) is dedicated to Fireball! She knows why… ;-)

            Sabere lay back on the couch again, trying to ignore the sickening feeing of despair.  She was deathly worried about Kurt, not just because of their friendship, but because without him, they would never find the base.  Rogue turned the television back on and found some stupid reality show.  Sabere ignored it and stared up at the ceiling.

            Suddenly a large quantity of water poured over her head.  At first she thought that someone had popped one of the pipes, but then she realized that Storm was huddled on the floor – and it was raining in the house.  The TV sparked and sizzled before shutting down, and everyone tried to get away from the electronics before they were all zapped.

            As abruptly as it started, the rain stopped, and Storm got to her feet.  The carpet and all the furniture was soaked, and the media equipment was probably ruined.  Logan sighed and stood up.  

            "Well, there's more than one TV in here.  Since we don't have anything else to do…"

            "Maybe Storm should go outside?" Kitty asked timidly.

            "Are you kidding?  I'm safer in here.  Outside I can reach the elements better and who knows what kind of storm I'd whip up."  Storm shook her head and led the way out of the room.  Logan hurried away to find a bathroom.

            The group went back upstairs to find another television.  Storm paused beside a door and looked inside.  Xavier, Jean, and a boy Sabere didn't know lay on a bed, all unconscious, with Scott crouched next to Jean.  

            "I was hoping they'd be awake," Storm said quietly.  "All three of them are telepaths, but only Jean and the Professor can use Cerebro and try to find Kurt."

            Sabere was watching Scott.  He was holding Jean's hand, and though she couldn't see his face, his shoulders were shaking like he was crying.  Sabere regretted her former view of Jean, especially now that she had seen how much everyone in the mansion really cared for her, and how desperate Scott was to not lose Jean again.  _I guess I'd feel the same…_but for whom?  If Andy came back, would she still care as much as she did?  She wasn't sure what to think, especially now with Kurt in her life.  _So much has changed…and it's changing again._

            Down the hall, they heard the sound of a news anchor's voice.  "Today, mutants dominate the breaking news.  President McKenna was not available for comment on the apprehension of the mutant, now identified as Kurt Wagner, who attacked the White House last November."

            Storm and Sabere raced down the hall, catching themselves on a half-frozen couch and staring at the screen.  "No word has been given on where the mutant was taken, but rumors say he will be held at the high-security prison that formerly contained a mutant known as Magneto before his escape.

            "In other breaking news, a large portion of lower Manhattan Island suddenly caught fire.  Fire and police forces are trying to put out the seemingly supernatural blaze, and have no idea what could have caused the fire.  One eyewitness claims to have seen something very unusual – "

            A smoke-streaked man waved his arm frantically at the blaze behind him.  "Well, I was running out of my house, and I saw this kid sprawled out in the middle of the street on his back.  I ran to pick him up and carry him out, but his hands, his hands shot fire, I swear it, he must've been a mutant or something!"

            "John," Rogue said quietly.  

            "Magneto said he'd been drugged," Sabere reported.  "I wonder if he's out there now."

            "I hope he's okay," Bobby said.  "I mean, I don't like him much, but I don't want him dead."

            Sabere shivered suddenly.  "Bobby, I assume it was you who froze the couch?"

            "Well, yeah, but I didn't mean to!"

            "I know, I just – "Another explosion sounded downstairs, and the light fixture on the ceiling rattled and came loose.  Instinctively Sabere held out her hand and concentrated on the light – 

            - and it froze in midair.  

            Sabere gasped.  _The drug is gone! _ Nearly laughing with joy she set the light down with exaggerated care in front of the TV.  Storm sighed with relief.  Even if no one else had recovered yet, at least the end was in sight.

            Almost at the same time Professor Xavier rolled into the room, with Jean and Scott behind him.  Storm laughed and somehow managed to embrace all three of them at once.

            Xavier smiled and looked at Sabere.  "As I understand it, we have some rescuing to do."


	23. Mission

A/N: YAY!!! MONKEYS!!! I luv monkeys…*cuddles monkey beanie baby*  ummm if you want to know what that was about go read my reviews.  OK yes getting somewhere! The drug was supposed to be on for way longer but I got sick of writing everybody's issues, and if Scott puts any more holes in the mansion it'll collapse.  Use your Imaginations (cue SpongeBob hand movement thingie) and figure out what happened to Rogue and Jubilee and Magma and anyone else who uses explosions…cuz I'm moving on!!! Review please please please! Even flames! Anything! 

            The mansion's excitement was short-lived.  Sabere, Scott, the telepaths, and a handful of students seemed to be the only people who had recovered from the drug – and unfortunately, they were all hungry.  So while Xavier retreated downstairs to use Cerebro, Scott (whose visor was now a melted dysfunctional wreck and had to use his sunglasses) drove downtown to get pizza.  Sabere and Jean did what they could to repair the gaping holes in the mansion's walls, while trying to combat intermittent drug attacks from Bobby, who managed to freeze all the plumbing in the east wing, and a girl names Jubilee, whose power involved some sort of colorful, fiery plasma that Sabere didn't quite understand but didn't care about so long as it didn't burn down the mansion.  Kitty was confined to a third-floor room that was as far from Cerebro and the X-Jet as possible, in case she fell far enough to hit either and cause thousands of dollars of rather sensitive electronic repair.  

            Sabere had managed to salvage the remains of her mattress and a few blankets which would serve as a decent bed.  The rest of her furniture was ruined, and there was still a gaping hole in the wall between her room and Logan's that needed to be dealt with.  She was currently rummaging through her broken dresser and trying to find at least one item of clothing that wasn't telekinetically shredded, burnt, or slashed by her knives.  So far, it seemed like she would be wearing her uniform tomorrow.

            She had finally recovered a shirt when Storm poked her head in the room.  "Xavier found Kurt.  We're heading out now.  If you want to come, suit up and be at the jet in five minutes."

            Sabere opened her mouth to ask for a plan, but Storm had already left.  Sabere peered into Logan's room and found him sprawled on his bed.

            "I take it you're not coming?" she asked cautiously.

            "No," he snarled, still glaring at the ceiling.  "Just because everyone else is better doesn't mean I am…no, I'll be lying here and cursing the Stryker sons for all they're worth.  Go rescue your Romeo and don't get shot."

            "Um…okay."  Sabere stood by the door and happily gathered her knives with her _fully functional_ powers, then ran down the remainder of the stairs to an elevator.  Everything finally seemed to be turning around – the drug, for the most part, was off, Kurt was found, and they could go take out the bastard who had no qualms about killing them all.

            _Did I just say that?_  It was almost funny – two months ago she wouldn't have cared what happened to the world's mutants, just as long as she wasn't affected.  Now here she was, incapable of being affected any further, and about to go rescue the exact person her college friend Jessi would have tried to kill herself.  _And kill me in the process for daring to talk to him, never mind fall in love with him…_

She gave herself a mental slap as she struggled into her uniform, making sure knives and spikes were all in place.  _No time for that,_ she scolded.  _Keep your head on – this is probably your big test.  _Sabere could already hear the jet's engines revving as she opened the hangar door and raced up the rising ramp.  _Why was she always the last to get ready?_

Storm and Scott sat at the controls with Jean, Rogue, and the Professor strapped in behind.  The plane looked strangely empty with three of its usual occupants missing.  

            "So where is Kurt?"  Sabere asked breathlessly as the jet lifted up out of the basketball court.

            Xavier smiled grimly.  "They took him to the very base we would have wound up at to find Stryker.  It's almost too easy – with Kurt's help, we could have gotten into the base, but they just gave us an excuse."

            "And what are we gonna do now that we've taken a political prisoner and hidden him in a very obvious location?"  Rogue asked.  "Move to the other side of the country?"

            "With any luck, I can cover for us and make them think that the prisoner escaped on his own," Xavier replied.

            "Yeah, and make the military think their mutant-restraining technology doesn't work, so they'll step it up and make it even harder for us to escape," Sabere grumbled.  "Perfect plan."

            "You have a better idea?" Scott interrupted.  "We'll be lucky to get out alive anyway."

            "So much optimism," Storm sighed.  "We're coming up on the area of the base.  Charles, you're going to have to help us out now."

            "Don't bother giving us cover – they'll know we're coming anyway.  But something isn't right…it's not as close as Cerebro made it seem…" Xavier peered out at the ocean, squinting with unfocused eyes towards the horizon.

            "Are we in the right place?" Storm asked.

            "No," Xavier and Jean whispered at the same time.  Jean shook her head.  "There's two bases – I can't believe I didn't notice that.  There are two identical bases, a hundred miles apart, and there must be a concealed connector between them…the other is about ninety-two miles that way…" She pointed out to the east.

            Scott adjusted the trajectory and the jet veered off eastward.  Sabere clung grimly to the seat and wished she knew enough of her powers to be able to fly and not bother with motion sickness.  The second base came into view almost immediately, and Scott cut the horizontal thrusters and set the jet down in the water a couple hundred feet away.

            "Now what do we do, swim?"  Rogue asked.

            "Not at all.  Jean and Sabere can carry us to the base."

            "They can?"  Sabere repeated.  "News to me…"

           "It's simple," Jean said.  "The beauty of mutative powers is their ease of use.  All you have to do is visualize."

           "Think happy thoughts, and you can fly…" Sabere sighed, and pictured herself floating a few inches above the seat.  She didn't move far because she was still strapped in, but she could feel their pressure as she lifted a bit.  She released the straps and floated up even more.  Panicking, she fell back in the seat.  

           "Not bad," Jean praised.

           "I'm tired already," she protested.  "How do I carry anyone else?"

           "You have to portion your energy.  I'd give you a better lesson later, but right now you'll have to go with your instincts."  Jean faced the Professor.  "Do we have a plan?"

           Xavier pressed a button on the wall that transmitted a sketchy layout of the military base.  "Kitty knows this better, so she'll be guiding the teams.  Kurt is being held in this area – " he pointed to a semicircle of small rooms that opened into a larger rectangular room – "and your best entrance is over here – " he pointed to a small sewer drain on the southern side of the building.  

           "Let's be back there in forty minutes," Scott said.  "Kitty, you go with Sabere and get ahead to the holding area.  We'll be behind you to cover your exit.  Everyone set?"

           "Do we have a choice?"   Sabere asked.  "Okay, let's get this over with before I get nervous."

           _=You don't have to pretend,=_ Jean's mental voice admonished gently.

           _=I want to,=_ she shot back.  _=As long as you and the others don't trust me, I'll pretend all I want.  At least until Kurt's back.=_

_           =Suit yourself.=_  Jean broke the contact as Storm opened the hatch on the jet's roof.  They all gathered on the roof, trying to ignore the chilling Atlantic winds.  Jean and Sabere focused on their task, Sabere following Jean's lead as best she could, and the five flew slowly but steadily towards the base.

A/N: I'd write more but then I'd be here for another three hours.  I wouldn't mind that but I have to go to school tomorrow (icky) so must sleep! Next chappie up asap because it's gonna be SO COOL! If I may say so myself…mwahahaha I luv being angsty. Tata…  :-D 


	24. Stryke Three

A/N: You're all going to hate me. I know you will.  Sarah already does. It's coming…

            Everyone had gotten across the water to the base without falling, which Sabere took as a good omen.  Unfortunately, she already had the beginnings of a headache, which wouldn't help with her concentration once she got inside.  They stood on the rocky "beach," studying the drain entrance and trying to figure out how to get in without setting off alarms.  Finally Kitty told them all to join hands and she pulled them _through_ the drain – an extremely creepy experience that she had no desire to repeat, but would have to in order to get to Kurt.

            Kitty led the way down the tunnel as it branched off to the left.  Above their heads lay a grate that opened into a dark room that was doubtlessly the plumbing maintenance room.  Jean floated the grate out of its frame as Kitty whispered last-minute instructions to Scott and Storm.

            "If you go a few hundred more feet down that way, you'll come out…well, in the men's shower room.  Take a right out the door and you'll go straight down the hall into the holding area.  We'll already be there, hopefully with Kurt, but we'll probably need the backup.  If you get there and we're already gone, follow the sounds of shooting and head straight back to the drain entrance."

            "Got it.  See you on the other side."  He jogged down the drain with Jean and Storm as Sabere tried to remember why that sounded familiar.  _Oh, yeah…Kurt said that while the drug was…_ A coldness gripped her heart as she remembered that hellish night that seemed so long ago when both of them would have gladly died to end the pain.  _No one's going to die…we'll all be fine…_

She lifted herself and Kitty up through the drain into the dark, silent room.  Kitty grabbed her hand and they both sprinted for the left-hand wall, went through it, through the hall, through the next room, through a soldier – _okay now that was weird – _alarms sounded, but they both ignored it and kept running – 

            Kitty released her as they burst through the last wall and faced the semicircle row of doors of the holding area.  Soldiers were all over, including on the upper-level balcony, and Sabere let Kurt's training take over and shielded herself as guns opened up on her.  She launched a spike at the nearest one, watching in dismay as she hit him in the throat.  Killing American soldiers was not something she had had in mind.  Across the room Kitty slid through a door with Kurt, and Sabere managed a sigh of relief despite the rather dangerous situation.  The soldiers moved in and Sabere whipped out the knives, slashing at anyone who got too close while desperately trying to avoid mortally wounding anyone.  Kurt didn't have his knives, but he was teleporting unpredictably around the room, kicking and punching soldiers brutally.

            "Kitty, screw the backup, go find Scott and have him meet us out there now!"  She slashed through the pistol of a soldier behind her as Kitty sprinted through the far wall to find the others.

            There were soldiers everywhere.  The faster Sabere cut some back, the faster more appeared in their places – and the bigger the weapons got.  Two with machine guns were on the upper balcony, but luckily for them, their fellow soldiers were too many for them to open fire.  Still, Sabere was worried – Kitty was clear, but while Kurt was still with her, it would be all too easy to give a command that would clear the field – and give the soldiers a clear shot – 

            "Everyone move, down there! Get back!"

            _Shit._

The soldier who had just freed his pistol in front of her glanced at her apprehensively, then ran off with his comrades, blocking the exits.  Kurt stood across the room, fists clenched and ready to spring.  The floor was clear except for them – 

            "_GO!"_

            She had no idea who had yelled, but at the time she didn't care.  Kurt disappeared and reappeared next to her.  He seized her arm, preparing to teleport them both out, but a burst of machine gun fire sent them leaping apart.  Kurt teleported away again, jumping around the room in an effort to distract the soldiers while Sabere threw up a telekinetic shield as one of the soldiers emptied his gun in her direction.  Then – 

            _-kurt a door a gun dead-_

Her shield wavered under the sudden onslaught of images.  Sabere's reflexes were never distinct, but maybe, just maybe, she'd have enough time to warn him – 

            Frantically, she sent teke blocks into both the machine guns, effectively clogging both while she looked around for Kurt.  Her reflexes were screaming to help him, but he was still 'porting around the room.  Finally he stayed still in front of a door.

            "Coast is clear!  Let's go!" He was waving anxiously at her, and she opened her mouth to tell him – 

            _-the door that's the door-_

            The door slid opened behind him.  A man whose face she'd seen on the news, Geoffrey Stryker, the bastard responsible for everything, stood in the threshold, holding a pistol, aiming squarely at Kurt's back.  Kurt whirled and saw him – the gun fired – Kurt vanished – 

             - and reappeared next to her, staring in mild surprise at the small hole in his chest.

            Sabere seized him, trying to keep him upright, trying to fend off the inevitable, trying to focus enough to heal him – but it was all useless. Kurt's head tilted back, eyes staring vacantly at the ceiling. 

            _No – _

Stryker's voice brought her out of her trance. "Kill her."

            She automatically shielded as bursts of machine gun fire erupted around her, dropping Kurt as she lunged for the other exit.  Blinded by tears, she blasted it open and fled to the rendezvous point, pushing thoughtlessly past soldiers with telekinetic blasts.  Scott was already there, waiting with the others. 

            "Where the hell's Kurt?"

            She couldn't answer; answering would confirm what she was refusing to believe.  Instead she ran ahead of him, overtaking Scott and leaping out of their hole in the pipe.  The jet was hovering outside floating, and unbidden, she remembered Xavier's words from – was it only a week ago?  It seemed so long – 

            _Let's hope everything goes better this time around._

It could never have gone worse. 


	25. Allies and Support

A/N: My friend says I should kill off all the xmen…as amusing as that might be, I am not that cruel…and it's so much more fun to just kill off a couple and make the MC suffer! Mwahaha…ok sorry about long delay, school sucks, I am writing now! But first I must CURSE x-men Evo for not telling me it had moved back to WB and continued the new season!!!! Which means I missed at least one really cool episode! Curses…and to Bagira, the thing Magneto gave Sabere was just a funky communicator thingie. Dunno if he's coming back or not…whatever.

            Scott took over the controls from Xavier as he yelled over his shoulder at Sabere.   "Okay, we come to rescue Kurt, and now we're leaving without him?  What the hell is going on?  Why…" He ranted on for a bit and Sabere curled up in her seat, tucking her knees up under her chin.  She finally spat out the words like a vile poison - "He's dead."

            Shocked silence fell in the jet.  Xavier nodded slowly.  "I wondered…something didn't feel right…"

            Sabere's eyes hardened even as tears fell as she relived those moments.  _I could have warned him…this is Andy's death all over again…only so much more painful…_"Stryker shot him.  I want to go back."

            "There's nothing you can do," Xavier said softly.  "Revenge won't change anything." 

            "This is all his fault," she choked out, trying vainly not to let tears escape. _It is his fault.  And if you want to see me perform, be worthy of the X-Men, take me back and let me kill the bastard.  He ruined everything._  No one argued the point.  Jean glanced at her tears with an unreadable expression, and Sabere felt the last crushing blow from fate – _everything is gone._

            The jet flew on in silence.

*       *      *     *

            Sabere sat in the jet long after it had landed.  The others left her alone, which was probably wise on their part since she was so torn between fury and grief that she might have blasted them through the jet walls.  She paced the length of the plane in her rage, trying to contain her emotions and at the same time wondering why.

            _Because they all think you're weak and you don't want them to see you cry._

_            But you are weak, you lost Kurt – _

_            That wasn't your fault! _

_            Yes it was!  Just like losing Andy.  That's the whole reason you're here – you couldn't save someone so you wound up in freak school – just to lose someone else –_

_            Too bad there's no one left to kill._

"Why I am bothering?" she wailed finally, collapsing into the nearest seat and dropping her forehead onto her clenched fists.  Her life now seemed like one huge freak accident – fate killed her fiancé and gave her mutant powers, then gave her a friend and killed him too.  _Maybe everyone I get close to is just going to die.  Maybe fate just wanted me on my own.  _Tears finally spilled out freely as she thought of both lives she could have had…and everything she had lost.

One thing was certain – as soon as Stryker was taken down, she was leaving.  She knew she couldn't go back home, but maybe she could drive further north and find a little apartment somewhere – somewhere where the world didn't care about mutants and she wouldn't have to care about her past life…

            Her plans were interrupted by Logan.  He walked up the ramp, looking like he had finally recovered from the drug.  She glared up at him, then pointedly turned her gaze away into the back of the jet.  

            Logan sighed.  "I was never good at this…look, Scott told me what happened."

            Anger flared with a sickening jolt in her stomach.  "Don't apologize.  I don't want pity."

            "I know you don't.  Believe me, I know what it's like to lose someone.  And I know what it's like to want revenge."  He paused, then sat down in the seat across the aisle.  "Look, I know you know that the rest of them aren't sure about you yet.  I also know that you _say_ you don't want pity, but everyone needs support now and then.  Will you look at me already?"

            Reluctantly Sabere faced him, flushing hotly from his blunt summary of what was unfortunately her true feelings.  Logan's eyes were unusually sympathetic.  "You don't need to hide anything.  They'll trust you in time - "

            " – If I stay," she snapped.  "Which I don't plan on doing."

            "Hey, even if it doesn't seem like it, we need you.  Now, I've contacted some old friends, pulled a few favors, and we've got some help for shutting down Stryker's base.  And I have just as much reason for taking it out as you do.  Everyone's in pretty good shape, so we've agreed to meet up with S.H.I.E.L.D in three hours."

            "What's shield?"

            "An organization kinda like the CIA except they like us.  I've worked with them before – let's just say they owe me.  So go get some rest and try not to let the anger build up."

            He jogged back down the ramp and left Sabere to her even more confused thoughts.  

            _=I know you'd rather not be interrupted…=_

Sabere groaned aloud.  _Why, why couldn't the man bother anyone else?_

            =Because they don't need bothering,= Xavier replied.  = I confess, I listened in on your conversation with Logan.=

Sabere jumped up and stomped out of the jet as if she could walk away from the conversation.  _=So I want to leave the place that messed up my whole life.  Is that a problem?=_

_            =Not for me.  But where will you go?  The conflict can't be avoided, no matter where you go.  Besides, Stryker knows who you are now – he'll be able to track you, and outside the mansion, I can't guarantee your safety.=_

_            =Like you're doing a good job of it now,= _she shot back.  _=You can't even take care of your X-Men, never mind me.=_

_            =That wasn't my fault and you know it.  Conquer your anger.  If you're not thinking clearly by the time we're ready to leave, you're not coming.  Irrational decisions are the last thing we need.=_  His mental voice, which had been colored red with anger and disappointment, softened.  _=You are not the only one who is deeply grieved by Kurt's death.  I had hoped to give him a new home here, but…it seems we all failed.=_

With that he cut off the mental link, leaving Sabere feeling ashamed.  She wandered back to the elevator, still in uniform, and slowly made her way back to her room.  The door, surprisingly, was still intact – but the entire wall was iced over.  _About two and a half hours to wander around in a miserable gloom.  Sounds like fun._

A knock on the mansion's front door spared her from sinking back into self-pity.  She jumped the frozen-over bottom stairs and skidded across the thawing hallway to open the door.

            Magneto, the blue-skinned woman Mystique, and a boy about Bobby's age that Sabere didn't recognize stood in the entrance. Magneto was wearing a reddish helmet that made him look more sinister than regal as he had the previous visit.  Mystique, as opposed to her former cocky demeanor, looked ready to kill something and pushed her way past Sabere as soon as the door opened.

            "Where's Xavier?" she demanded.

            Sabere drew out one of her knives and held it across her path.  "Why do you want to know?"  She half-expected Magneto to crumple the blade up with his powers, but he just watched them with mild interest.  The boy was staring into the half-frozen hallway with an expression of mixed longing and fear.

            "Is Bobby okay?" he asked hesitantly.

            "I haven't seen him, and I don't know why you care.  What do you want?"

            "It's fine, Sabere," Xavier called from down the hall.  Scott and Storm walked alongside him, both still in uniform.  "Thank you for your help, though."  He met Mystique's eyes for an uncomfortably long time before dropping to the boy.  Before he could say anything more, Magneto said happily, "Ah, so you do have a name.  Sabere.  A lovely name, derived from your knives, I assume?"

            "Eric, is there anything I can help you with?"  Xavier asked bluntly.

            Magneto – or Eric – shook his head and smiled a little.  "Charles, what happened to manners?  Twice I've been here and never have I gotten a proper introduction.  Either you're teaching them to be afraid or you're just not teaching them manners."

            "Look, we've got about two hours before we head out on a rescue mission," Scott snapped, "so unless you have something important to say - " 

            "You still haven't gone for Kurt?"  Mystique demanded.  "Seems we didn't miss much."

            "We…" Sabere faltered and looked back at the Professor.  

            "We're going back anyway.  Stryker is still operating at his base and if we want to stay safe, he needs to be taken care of."  Xavier paused, then looked up at Mystique again.  "We just returned from our failed rescue attempt.  Kurt…was killed."

            Mystique stared at him for a minute, then turned on her heel and stalked out of the mansion, pushing past the boy and disappearing behind some trees.  Xavier watched her unhappily, then returned his attention to Eric.  "I assume you're here for a reason other than to determine the fate of Kurt."

            "Yes.  Pyro here nearly killed us all because of that damned drug, and I intend to make sure that drug and the man who created it is destroyed."  Magneto suddenly lost his lighthearted, condescending manner and Sabere felt that she would rather not have him angry with her.  She relaxed her grip of the knife but at the same time rested her fingers on the catch that would release one of her spikes.

            "You're welcome to come along.  We'll need all the help we can get."  He rotated his wheelchair and led the way past the thawing ice patch.  "Scott, why don't you take Sabere down to get the jet ready.  I'll be down in a few minutes."

            "Professor, I don't think this is a very good idea - "

            "Scott, everything will be fine.  Trust me."

            Scott sighed and opened one of the hidden elevators, gesturing for Sabere to follow.  As soon as the door closed, he cleared his throat and shifted uncomfortably.  "I'm…sorry I snapped at you in the jet.  I guess I was…worried.  I didn't want things to go wrong and when they did…"

            She thought about retorting about Jean, but she just shook her head and stared down at the floor.  "Who was that kid with Magneto?"

            "That's John Allardyce.  The guy Magneto was talking about last time, and the guy who apparently burned up half of New York."

            "Oh."  She fell silent again.  The doors of the elevator opened and they went slowly down the hall towards the jet.  "Why was Mystique acting like that?  I didn't expect her to be so upset…"

            "I don't know.  The Professor does, obviously, but I have no idea why she'd be concerned."

            They went into the hangar and Sabere looked glumly up at the jet.  _Yet another reason to hate flying…_

            "Are you going to be okay?  Because you can always sit this out."

            She clenched her fists and gritted her teeth, determined not to throw him on top of the jet.  "Are you pitying me, or are you in Jean's boat about not trusting me?"

            "Look, I know you have your reasons now for taking Stryker out.  But you don't have to prove yourself to us.  We already know who's side you'll be on, and even if we weren't sure, we'd keep you around anyway."

            Sabere just walked up into the jet.

A/N: GAH!!! My computer wasn't working! It froze when I tried to open this!! Badbadbad! But all is well now…so review please!!!


	26. Before the Storm

A/N: Bloody computer STILL being stupid!!! Bah. Oh well, will post next chapter and hope the machine doesn't eat it.  Missed Evo on Saturday cuz the power went out…overall not the best weekend. Who wants to email me and tell me what happened Saturday? :-D

            "I don't know why he wants us down here so soon.  We still have a couple hours before he have to leave."  Sabere hated being in the jet more than ever, and watched over Scott's shoulder as he fiddled with the controls.

            "He didn't really want us to prep," Scott replied.  "He just wanted to make sure none of us were spying on him and Magneto."

            "But Jean and Storm are still up there.  And I have no idea where Logan went…"

            Scott sighed.  "Probably trying to dice up Magneto again.  The guy can't take a hint – or anything less subtle than a hint."

            "You don't like him, do you?"

            "Nope," Soctt replied.  "He's hardly a member of the team – he only came along last time because we needed the helping hand.  There were only three of us then.  Plus he's…ah.... taken a liking to Jean."

            "And you think she feels the same?"  Old jealousy was flaring again, and for painfully similar reasons.  

            "I hope she doesn't.  She doesn't seem like it…I don't know."  Scott shook his head and stood up.  "Forget it.  Let's go back upstairs and see if Magneto's killed anyone yet."

            "Don't joke like that," she protested, following him out of the jet.  "You, of all people."

            "Hey, I hate Magneto more than I hate Logan.  The guy's tried to kill two of ours, and he's not getting away with anything else."      

            "But he's here to help us!  He even brought that John back.  Don't you think he's trying to earn your trust?"

            "He doesn't trust anyone and no one trusts him.  Bringing John with him was just a ploy to make us think he was open to an alliance.  Believe me, he's only here because he wants to take down Stryker and doesn't know how to do it on his own."  Scott stormed ahead of her, leaving Sabere to wander behind and leave him to his thoughts.  _It doesn't help that the rest of the country hates us,_ she thought unhappily._  If we're split amongst ourselves, we're far weaker than we can afford to be._

            She thought briefly of Song-Yi, who was so devoted to helping the mutant cause.  Had she hear about Sami?  _Did I have that name? What happened to it?_  What did her family know?  Did Sami Teterann exist anymore, or had she died with Andy and been replaced by Sabere the mutant?

            What would happen after this mission?  She had hoped to leave, leave the Institute and all its memories.  As much as she hated to admit it, Xavier was right, and she could not escape what she was now.  

            _Do you really want to?_ asked the insidious little voice in the back of her mind.  _Do you really think you can get away from it, even if you did want to?_

            Sabere didn't know what to think anymore.  She found the elevator and made her way casually past Xavier's office where he and Magneto were discussing plans of attack that she found she didn't really care about anymore.  Scott was staring out a window in a room across the way, his arm around Jean Grey.  Sabere scowled at them and walked right into Logan.

            "Kid, you gotta look around.  That's twice now."  Logan tilted her chin up and raised an eyebrow, clearly doubting her state of mind, or at least her coordination.  "Are you sure you're okay?"

            "And that's probably the fifth time you've asked," she retorted, pulling free and pushing around him to the stairs.  "Yes, I'll be fine once everyone stops asking.  My room should be thawed out by now.  I'm gonna take a nap or something…no one leave me here!  I'm going with you guys and no one's going to change my mind."

            Logan held up his hands in submission.  "No one's trying."

            "One hour, Sabere," Magneto called after her.  "And you'll be needed, so don't worry about being left here."

            "Thanks…I think."  Sabere went up the stairs and found Rogue, Bobby, and John Allardyce sitting in one of the common rooms.  John looked furious, Bobby anxious, and Rogue was crying.  Bobby looked up at her as she slowed down, and she read in his eyes that they didn't want to be bothered. 

            _=They'll be fine,=_ came Xavier's reassurance.  _=John was good friends with them, and they felt betrayed when he left with Eric.  I wouldn't get involved unless you think someone's going to get hurt.=_

Right on cue – 

            ~_fire shields now~_

"What do you want?"  A rush of fire swept towards her from John's outstretched hand.  Sabere raised her own hands in response and shielded and contained the flames to make sure they didn't catch the doorframe.  Without anything to feed on, they quickly died, and Sabere dropped the shields.  Both Rogue and Bobby were screaming at him now, and Sabere took the opportunity to slip off to her room.

            As she had expected, the door had thawed, and she was able to get into her mangled room.  The rumpled mattress and blankets had never looked so inviting.  She sprawled face-first onto them and let out the morning's frustrations to the security of her quiet room.


	27. Stryke Back

A/N: this will be the first story I've actually completed! This is a historic event…well okay it's not but hey, it's pretty cool for me.  Whatever, on to Mutant Land.

            _Soldiers everywhere, and all of them looking like her cousin.  They're trying to kill her she has to stop them, Kurt's there, he wants to help her.  Red lights, blue lights, Andy and Kurt together – _

_            Just go, there's too many – _

_            Kill them all! NO they're American, they're my family, it's my cousin – _

_            Civil war, who will win_

_            Who will lose_

_            Who will die_

_            KURT MOVE_

_            NO – _

            Sabere sat up with a gasp.  Logan was standing directly over her, and he pulled back as he found a knife at his throat.

            "You were having a nightmare."  Just a statement, just a word.  No meaning at all to that horrible occurrence that would doubtlessly be back.  She nodded shakily and replaced the knife.

            "Are we leaving?"

            "Yep.  Unless you're not up to going…"

            She stood up and led the way out of the room.  "Not a chance.  Let's go."

            The jet was surprisingly full – the four X-Men plus Xavier, Kitty, Bobby, and Rogue, alongside Magneto, Mystique, and John.  Storm and Scott sat at the controls again, and Sabere took the only available seat between Jean and Magneto – not her ideal arrangement.  She was no longer so furious that she couldn't focus.  That had been replaced with a burning focus, a cold fire that calculated every future move and allowed for no mistakes – and no more loss.

            "I understand you were one of Kurt's closer friends," Magneto said unexpectedly.

            Sabere tensed and tried to hide it.  No matter how close this guy was to Xavier, she wasn't going to give him any buttons to push.  Apparently that was what had happened to John – he wasn't happy with Xavier, and Magneto gave him the openings he wanted.  Not going to happen to her.

            "You could say that." 

            "Child, you don't need to lock yourself away like this.  You're among friends, and no one is going to throw you back on the streets…unless that's what you want."

            "I'm not a child," she sighed, knowing that was the response he'd expected.  

            _=And you're not going out on your own, right?=_ came Jean's mental voice.  

            _=Don't know yet.  Get out of my head.=_  That time she wasn't trying to be mean – she was fed up with Magneto's condescending talk and Jean knew that.  Sabere got a wry mental smile in return before the contact broke.  

            "Of course."  Magneto said nothing more.  Sabere settled back in her seat and thought that it seemed to be taking a lot longer to reach the base this time.  

            "Two signals, dead ahead," Storm said sharply from up front.  Sabere craned her neck to see what she meant.  

            "Missiles," Magneto sighed, sounding almost bored.  "These are the most brilliant military minds in America, and they still haven't figured out that simple missiles don't do much damage to us."

            "Then stop bragging and get up here and help out," Storm snapped.  "Three of you should be enough to deflect them."

            "Can we just blast them back to the base?"  Sabere suggested.

            "If you wanted to possibly kill our allies and eradicate all traces of what Stryker was doing, yes, feel free," Xavier snapped.  "Just do it _before_ they hit the jet."

            Sabere, Jean, and Magneto all braced themselves behind the pilots and established shields against the two approaching missiles.  Sabere sensed the layered shields around her and did her best to merge the edges and reinforce their defense.  

            "So they know we're coming?" she said through gritted teeth.  "And they can just shoot more stuff at us?"

            "Yes, deal with it," Jean replied just as tersely.  

            "Can you two hold those shields?"  Sabere asked.

            "Yes," Magneto answered.

            "No," Jean snapped.

            "Deal with it," Sabere retorted, and withdrew her shields. 

            "What the hell - " Jean tried to compensate for the sudden lack as the missiles struck.  They hovered in midair fifty feet from the nose of the jet, still burning furiously.  Together Jean and Magneto forced them backwards and out to the sides.  Sabere closed her eyes and crouched behind Scott's chair, gripping its back to support herself as she worked.  As the two missiles drifted far too slowly away from the jet, Sabere wrapped a protective shield around the entire jet, a close-fitting guard that hopefully could hold out against small-scale attacks.  While the other shields were focusing on the front, Sabere's protected the whole plane, and just in time.  They were close enough to the base now to be peppered with a high-tech laser-like machine gun, which Jean was unprepared for but Sabere's shield stopped.  Finally a last nudge sent the missiles plunging away from the jet at sharp angles down into the water on either side of the base.  Sabere's shield was holding, but barely, and Jean caught the cue and added her own supports.

            "Storm, take her down," Magneto ordered, watching their approach but not helping with the shields.  Sabere's head was reeling, but she kept pouring her energy into the shielding.  She clung doggedly to the shield and didn't loosen any holds until she felt the jet touch down on the roof of the base.  

            "Let's go!" Scott passed the controls to Xavier and led the charge down the ramp.  The rest of the group followed, and the soldiers who had gathered in the Atlantic winds didn't stand a chance.  

            The jet lifted up slowly and Scott touched his earpiece.  "He'll be back in half an hour.  Let's get moving."

Logan slashed open the nearest door and leading the way down the stairs.  Immediately they were bombarded with machine gun fire from below.  Rogue shrieked and slumped back on the stairs.  Magneto pushed forward and caught the bullets leaving the guns as he twisted the barrels so they couldn't fire.  Pyro stepped up next to him and launched a channel of flame at the group, which scattered backwards and disappeared around corners with streams of fire in pursuit.  Magneto scooped up dozens of bullets and flattened them together into a large metal shield that he floated in front of them as Sabere tended to Rogue.  The bullet had hit her upper thigh, but had fortunately missed the major arteries.  She easily withdrew the bullet and watched the blue healing glow cover the wound and then withdraw, leaving smooth skin behind. 

            "Very handy," Magneto conceded.  "Shall we?"

            The shield led the way down the stairs, but as soon as the next group of soldiers arrived, Magneto split it back into the individual bullets and launched them at the soldiers.  

            Every one of them fell before the others could make a move.

            "Eric," Sabere gasped.  "They're…Americans!  How can you just…"

            "This is a war.  They'll kill you if you don't first."

            Scott defused the growing situation by stepping forward and gesturing down the two hallways.  "There's too many of us and too much ground to cover.  Storm will take one group and I'll take the other.  Storm, you take Logan, John, and the kids, the rest, come with me."

            Sabere followed Scott down the left-branch corridor with the others following close behind.  She gathered her energies into her hands and prepared to gesture them into shields at the slightest need – 

            - except the need came sooner than she had expected.  They rounded a corner, and there Geoffrey Stryker stood directly in front of them.  He was surrounded by two dozen other soldiers, all leveling submachine guns at them.  

            "Well, this complicates things," Magneto said softly.  "Fortunately we have a competent group."

            "For two dozen soldiers?" Sabere replied, trying to reach unobtrusively for her knives.

            Above them several charges on the roof detonated, blasting holes large enough for dozens more soldiers to drop down on cables.  They landed easily as the rain fell through the holes and aimed their weapons not at the mutants, but at Stryker's men.  


	28. Cavalry and Crucifix

A/N: In slight shock right now…just watched ROTK trailer. oh………my……….GOD!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cried. At the trailer. That's how cool that movie is. Also helped me recover from seeing Animatrix…man, that was a WEIRD movie. Made even less sense than the real thing. Also got a crushing blow…X2 isn't coming out until November 25!!! NOVEMBER!!! Why why why so far away?? Grrr the movie industry really ticks me off sometimes. Ok 'nuff ranting…off to try to save this failing plot.

            For a minute, no one moved.  Scott's fingers hovered at his visor, and Sabere tried desperately to get a sense of what was about to happen through her unresponsive reflexes.  Finally one man moved to stand directly between the X-Men and Stryker.  Sabere couldn't see much of his face from under his helmet, but she caught a glimpse of an eyepatch.  Stryker saw it too, and snarled at the man and raised his gun at him.

            "Fury!  What the hell are you doing here?"

            "You're operating outside restrictions, Stryker.  Your brother, at least, had permission to operate as he was."  The man had his own weapon in front of him, and didn't seem at all perturbed to be standing in the middle of what was about to become an extremely dangerous situation.  In fact, he had the attitude that he had been in this sort of predicament before, and it didn't bother him in the slightest.

            "The restrictions went out the window weeks ago, Fury.  Whenever _they_ are involved, we can't afford to have restrictions."  Stryker glared at Scott before returning his attention to Fury.

            "You know how much damage your lack of restrictions caused?  Half of New York is on fire because of you.  If these people hadn't called me in, the President himself would have."

            Stryker paused.  Apparently the full consequences of his drug had been more than even he had expected.  "If I get a chance to refine the drug – or, if I had gotten the test group I asked for – none of that would have happened."

            "Well, time's up, Stryker.  Put down the gun and - "

            He didn't get a chance to finish.  Stryker opened fire at Fury and yelled for him men to do the same.  A couple threw down their guns immediately, not wanting to fire on their own men, but most obeyed orders and Sabere found herself back in the memories of three hours prior.  Gunshots, chaos – and Kurt.

            _Stryker._

The temporarily dormant hatred immediately blossomed, and she lunged past Magneto at Stryker, shielding herself as he opened fire at her.  She launched a spike directly into his chest, putting as much telekinetic force behind it as she could stand.

            She dropped into a barrel roll and came up pivoting on one foot, knives in hands, using them as the focus points for her shields.  To her shock, Stryker was still standing – the spike was protruding out of his armor.

            "Tough luck, bitch," he snapped, and opened fire.  She immediately compensated her shields to block the onslaught, remembering how easy the projectiles had passed through Rogue's uniform.  Stryker fired until the gun was empty, and scowled at the dozens of bullets that hovered in front of her.  She dropped them to the ground, and leaped up in a flying kick that threw him back several feet.  She was so focused on him that she ignored what was happening behind her, and Mystique threw herself across the room to plant both feet solidly into the back of a soldier who was about to start shooting.  He flew over Sabere's head with a yell and crumpled in the hallway.  Sabere nodded briefly in thanks, and returned her attention to Styker.

            The man had gotten back to his feet and had a small pistol in hand.  Sabere readied her shield again, preparing for another fight, but suddenly Stryker was blasted to one side by a fierce jet of red light.  

            Scott's fingers released the trigger on his visor and left Stryker collapsed and bloody against the far wall.  If he wasn't dead already, he certainly would be soon.  Sabere turned away from the sight and met Scott's glance.  She felt sick, and not just from the carnage.  She was truly mad at Scott for taking her revenge – for the first time in her life, she had wanted to kill.

            The idea made her want to curl up in a corner and cry.

            Already the fight was over – the few of Stryker's loyal men were surrounded by the members of S.H.E.I.L.D and had surrendered.  Two S.H.E.I.L.D agents lay dead, along with five of Stryker's men. 

            "Sabere, some help?" Storm called from across the chamber.  She was supporting another S.H.E.I.L.D agent who had been shot twice.  Sabere ran towards them, already summoning her healing energies and trying vainly to ignore her headache.

            For the first time Sabere found herself facing a truly serious wound.  One bullet had grazed the man's stomach, and the other was embedded in his liver.  She focused her mind and turned her thoughts inward, almost seeing through the man's skin to the damaged organs.  She didn't bother with painblocks – there wasn't enough time.  Both bullets flew from the wounds and fell to the floor.  Sabere's eyes narrowed and she held her hands just above his skin, focused on repairing the damage, and let the energy flow. 

            She lost track of time, but when she felt that the wounds were healed she decided that only seconds had passed.

            "Thanks," the man sighed, sitting up.  "I knew I came here for a good reason.  Logan was right about you."

            To Sabere's surprise, the man was Fury.  He held out a hand.  "Nick Fury.  Logan called me out here to help you out –I owed him a few favors, anyway."

He stood up and called to his men.  "Okay, let's clean this place out.  I want everything brought to me, don't pass anything over, and don't leave any door unopened."  

Fury walked off without another word, leaving Sabere with Storm.  Sabere was too exhausted and overwhelmed to care that she had just saved the man who had made this entire operation possible.  She massaged the growing headache right between her eyes.  Storm squeezed her shoulder.  "Are you going to be okay?"

"I don't know yet…I'll walk around…I don't know…"  Sabere was spacing and she knew it, and was in no condition to focus.  She wandered to the back of the chamber and watched as each cell door opened, revealing harsh and empty rooms behind them.  A glint of light caught her eye as she stepped forward, and she turned towards its source in the corner of one room.

Sabere knelt in the cell and scooped up a necklace – Kurt's rosary.  The light had reflected off one of its dark crystals as it lay on the floor.  She ran the beads through her fingers until she was holding the crucifix.

"I'm sorry, miss, but we're going to have to keep that," a soldier instructed next to her.  "Orders."

"It's fine, private." Fury was standing right behind her.  "Let it be."

The soldier nodded and moved on.  Sabere draped the rosary around her neck and made her way outside.  Logan was waiting at the bottom of the stairs.  It was far colder in the hallway than in the chamber, and Sabere wrapped her arms around herself as the freezing Atlantic winds chilled her even through the uniform.

Logan stopped her as she tried to walk by.  She stared down at the floor, too numb now to even cry.  Logan hesitantly touched the crucifix.  "I know this isn't what you want to hear, but…he's where he spent his whole life trying to get.  He's gotta be happy."

Sabere sighed.  "That doesn't make it any easier."  

"I know it doesn't, but you can't blame me for trying."

She started up the stairs when he called her back.  "Sabere, I…" He bit his lip as if he wasn't sure what to say.  "Look, I know this won't make anything any better, but…he loved you.  That's what _Liebe _means – love."

Sabere gripped the banister and hurried up the stairs, trying desperately to ignore the new wrenching heartache.   The black jet sat in the rain, surrounded like she was by the bleak cold.


	29. Recovery

A/N: OK, both extended editions of LOTR at 130 in the afternoon, then ROTK, all over at 10 pm, and WHO"S GOT TICKETS??? Unfortunately, possibly not me. Website crashed, not sure if everything went through.  Ahahaa….*ahem* yes business, Pyro threw fire @ Sabere cuz he was ticked that she was eavesdropping. No this is not the end, yes there will be a sequel (no one asked but I'm announcing anyway).

            The flight home was silent.  Sabere continuously fiddled with the crucifix, as if she could rub it like a genie's lamp and put everything right again.  Unfortunately, no genie appeared, and nothing altered the cold grief that had settled around her since they left.  Returning to Stryker's base had killed any hopes that maybe, just maybe, the last visit had been just a nightmare.  She was again sitting between Jean and Magneto, the latter treating the entire event like a visit to the park.  She scowled inwardly at him, wondering how he could take death so lightly, even if he was causing it and not being affected by it.  _He_ certainly didn't mind killing – 

            _But you didn't either, did you?_ asked the demonic little voice in the back of her mind.  _You wanted revenge, and Scott took it from you.  You wanted to kill Stryker._

Sabere folded her arms and suppressed a shiver.  She was definitely leaving when they got back – Stryker was dead, so there was no worry from him now.  She could leave the mansion and everything it stood for, all its awful changes that it had brought.  No more jets, no more rescues, no more training – just her.  And no one else would ever need to know that Sabere the mutant had ever existed.  Sami Teterann was coming back and no one was stopping her.

****

            Magneto, Mystique, and Pyro left immediately after the jet landed at the Institute – where they were going and how, Sabere – _Sami_ – didn't know or care.  Their lives were not her concern, if they ever had been in the first place.  She went straight up to her room without talking to anyone, threw her uniform in the corner, and packed everything she had left into her suitcase.  All the while, however, was a niggling thought – _why isn't anyone stopping me?_

            That question was answered when she opened the door and found Xavier wait right outside.  He laced his fingers together and looked up at her, his expression unreadable.

            "Were you going to leave without saying goodbye?"  he asked.

            She shifted her grip on the suitcase.  "I guess so.  I didn't want anyone to stop me."

            "No one will," Xavier said softly.  "It's your choice to make.  I'm just glad you gave us the chance to try to help."

            "You did, for a while," Sami replied, avoiding his eyes.  "Things just…went wrong."

            Xavier nodded.  "Well, you're welcome here if anything goes wrong."

            "Thank you."  They left towards opposite ends of the hallway.  Sami passed the large common room, where some of the kids were playing foosball and the adults were watching the news.  She could hear the announcer as she paused.  

            "NYU had quite a surprise today when a missing student was revealed to be a mutant.  Sami Teterann has been missing for nearly three weeks now, but it wasn't known that she was a mutant until a government official released her name."  Sami stared in shock as her old friend Song Yi's face appeared on the screen.  "We're all worried about her!  After her accident she just disappeared, and we really hope she hasn't been hurt."

            Sami toned out the voices, just staring numbly at the screen that had just locked the open door of opportunity in her face.  _Everything would have been fine…until this…_

            "Sabere?" Scott asked.  Everyone was watching her now as she stood in the doorway, suitcase in hand.

            "That's the first time they've given a name like that," Scott continued.  "We didn't think they were allowed to say anything."

            "Look, kid, it's not that big a deal anyway," Logan spoke up.  "Our names and faces are probably on wanted posters, too.  Join the crowd."

            She sighed.  "I guess I will."  She smiled a little and started hauling her suitcase back down the hall.  "And now I need to unpack."

            She was still thinking about the news report and hadn't heard Logan come in until he cleared his throat from the doorway.  "Mind if I help?"

            "Actually, yes, I do mind.  Sensitive items, you know."  She wrapped the items in question in safer clothing before stuffing them in a drawer.

            Logan sat down on the floor, watching her scoot the suitcase into a corner.  "You are telekinetic, you know…it would be a lot easier to just float that thing in place."

            She didn't answer.  He was in here for another reason, and he might as well spit out whatever thoughtless information he had soon.

            "It's a good thing you're staying," he continued.  "We'll need your help with all these repairs."

            "Logan, spill it," she sighed, standing in front of him, arms akimbo.  "I know you're not in here to make small talk."

            "No, I'm not."  He stood up and looked her in the eye.  "I need to apologize.  I've said some stupid stuff, and I know you've had a hard time lately."

            "You must be ill.  You're never this sensitive."

            "No, but I'm not usually that tactless either."  She snorted – from what Storm had said, that was far from the truth.  "Okay, so I have issues with Scott, big deal.  It's been a stressful time for everybody, and it brings out the weird sides of people.  So…I'm sorry.  Okay?"

            Sabere sighed.  "Okay."  He nodded and turned to leave, then hesitated and kissed her cheek – not romantic, just supportive.  She just stood for a moment as he left.  

            _=You will always have friends here, no matter where you go.=_

            Xavier, of course.  But for once, she didn't mind.

PS: Evolution was SO COOL! Signing off


	30. Moving On

A/N: Last chapter!!! Then the sequel! Ack! __

            Once again, Sabere and Storm were losing magnificently to Bobby and Rogue at foosball.  This had to be their sixth game today, and every single time the teens had beaten them.  Logan wasn't helping, either – he just sat and laughed as Bobby put one past them again and again.  She hadn't talked much with Logan over the three days since the news about Sabere's exposure, but she didn't really mind.  The rest of the Institute seemed to understand what she was going through and knew when to talk and when to just be there.  

            The ball slid past Sabere's defenders once again, but this time she flung a telekinetic block in its path so the ball froze, teetering on the edge of the goal.  Rogue stuck her hand around the goalie, trying to push the ball in herself, but Sabere's block held.  Bobby laughed and suddenly Sabere felt her hands get extremely cold.  Bobby had iced her hands to the handles, and as she lost concentration Rogue tapped the ball into the goal for yet another win.

            Storm raised her hands in surrender.  "I give up – you two play this so much I don't know why we offered to play in the first place."

            Sabere shook her head in agreement, shaking her hands in an effort to return circulation.  "I should have had a better game!  Those reflexes shouldn't only show up in battle."

            The briefest of awkward silences fell, broken almost immediately by Bobby offering to pop in his favorite movie.  Sabere declined and made her way out of the room, ignoring Logan's concerned gaze.  She found her way to the kitchen, searching the pantry for Kitty's secret cookie stash, hidden in a wall panel that even Xavier didn't know about.  Kitty didn't mind sharing, but woe to the one who finished her box and didn't replace it.  Smiling at the scolding Kitty had given Logan yesterday for committing that heinous crime, she sank down in a chair and gazed out the window.  A pair of squirrels were racing around the trees, and Sabere watched them idly, letting her mind drift.

            _You will always have friends here, no matter where you go._

            Leaving the Institute was out of the question now, unless she went to Canada or some rural town where people might not even know about mutants.  And the more she thought about it, the less she really wanted to leave.  After all the X-Men had done for her, she could at least try to give them something in return…_even if that's getting one of their team members killed._

            She pushed away from the table and walked towards the window as if she could walk away from the thought.  _It wasn't my fault…I would have done anything to save him, and they know that…_

            This was the exact circle of thought that had been haunting her since the failed rescue.  More than one sleepless night had been spent wishing things could have happened differently, replaying over and over exactly what should have happened had she been fast enough.

            A knock on the front door momentarily distracted her, and Logan strolled by the kitchen on his way to answer it.  She leaned out the doorway and craned her neck to see around the massive front door.  

            "Fury?  What do you want now?"

            "That's no way to welcome back the man who pretty much saved your asses, Logan.  Especially when you folks can't even tell when your asses need saving or not," came Fury's voice.  Sabere talked cautiously down the hall, wondering if she should be listening in on this conversation.  What was he talking about, anyway?

            "What's that supposed to mean?" Logan demanded.

            "I mean that you can't tell the difference between a dead guy and a live one.  Get your healer lady out here, she'll want to see this."  __

            Logan looked over his shoulder at Sabere, eyebrows raised in disbelief.  She stopped cold in the hallway.  The last thing she wanted was more false hope, but if Nick Fury had actually managed to revive Kurt…

            She stood beside Logan in the doorway, peering warily out at the small convoy of Hummers that had positioned themselves defensively around the mansion's driveway with soldiers aiming outwards around the perimeter of the entire assemblage, pointing their weapons into the sunset.  Others were standing alongside the nearest Hummer.  

            "Okay, let him out before he 'ports out and hurts himself," Fury called.  Sabere's heart jumped and she froze, staring in shock and wondering why the hell these guys were making her believe that a dead man could come back…

            One of the soldiers opened the Hummer door and, against all odds, out came Kurt Wagner, looking very much alive.  He looked right at Sabere and shrugged sheepishly, as if apologizing for the entire incident.

            Logan rubbed his eyes.  "Okay, as great as it is that you're somehow not dead, how the hell…"

            Sabere was still frozen, as a hundred emotions warred within her as Kurt came up the steps.  Fury clapped him on the shoulder as he passed and Kurt winced a little.

            "We think he survived because of his teleportation.  The bullet did graze his heart, but since he was in the process of teleporting as he was hit, the bullet didn't do nearly as much damage as it could have.  The shock of injury during teleportation was what made you think he was dead, but after you left, Stryker's creeps managed to bring him mostly around.  We found him unconscious, strapped to an examination table." 

            "Getting me ready for testing, of course…must be healed before cutting me open again," Kurt said wryly, standing in front of Sabere.  He smiled a little, seeming to be in perfect health, but the way he carried himself indicated that he was still in pain.  Fury gave a signal and his men packed into the Hummers. 

            "I assume I've repaid whatever favors I owed, Logan," he said, looking at Sabere, who was still staring in disbelief at Kurt.  "We delivered your man, and alive at that."

            "I think we owe you now," Logan replied with surprising gravity.  "Thanks, Fury."

            Fury nodded, saluted, and got into one of the Hummers.  The trio watched as the convoy roared down the driveway.  Sabere felt Kurt's arm around her shoulders and she finally turned to embrace him.  Kurt looked pointedly over her shoulder at Logan, who chuckled.

            "I've interrupted you two often enough.  Welcome back, elf-man."  Logan went back into the mansion and closed the door behind him.  Sabere watched him leave, still convinced that this was some twisted dream and she would wake up in the kitchen at any moment, but Kurt turned her face to his and all doubts faded.

            He smiled a little and looked away.  "I do not know what to say…I was so worried when I woke…I was afraid they had killed you." He looked back at her, eyes unusually sorrowful.  "They told me you had.  I suppose they were trying to break me."

            She shook her head and actually laughed a little.  "It doesn't matter now.  I never expected to see you again."  She suddenly remembered his rosary and removed it from around her neck, draping it over his.  "I found it in your cell.  It…made me remember your faith, and I hoped that maybe some of it would wear off…that maybe He'd actually hear me."

            "Apparently He did."  He pulled her close and she nearly cried as the past days' stress and worry fell away.  The sun dipped below the trees and Sabere kissed him, utterly lost in amazement that fate had handed her back the life she thought was lost.  For the first time in weeks, life could be considered perfect.

A/N: Guess who's back (back back) back again (gain gain) Kurt is back (back back) this story's over (over over) I don't like eminem that much, but hey, the story's done I can do whatever I want!!! Yes, Kurt's not dead, get over it. Don't complain (or at least not in a review). Please go read the sequel when it's up! Thanks for reviewing! I'm off!!!!! ~LA


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